Guest blog by John Downes, Head of Network Development at Streetgames
In a time when we are in the run up to a general election many questions are being asked by young people on what the future will look like for them. It was interesting on last night’s leaders debates that Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood mentioned the role that youth service and youth workers play in helping shape the future of young peoples’ lives.
At StreetGames we are committed to helping develop offers for young people that will give them somewhere to go and something to do, especially for those living in areas most affected by cuts in local youth offers where families haven’t got the ability to pay for clubs and activities for young people.
Sadly, across Middlesbrough this affects a high number of children, young people and their families in many different parts of the town. There is a need to try and do something about this. This drop in activities or services for young people is more damaging in times like the school holidays, when the lack of holiday programmes is matched with the issue of ‘holiday hunger’ for many of the poorest children and families in society.
So what can we do about it? Well, we know it is not easy! The only way something can be done is by pulling together and working in partnerships to tackle the issues at hand.
Working together
Working with MVDA, StreetGames would like to invite organisations that work with young people and want to provide an offer to young people to come together and share what we can all do, to tackle the issue for Middlesbrough. StreetGames is a national charity and our aim is to develop a sport and physical activity offer in the most deprived parts of the UK. The way we do this is through supporting local organisations. We are not here to come and employ staff to set up new programmes. Our aim and focus is to work with existing organisations, bring people together, identify common goals and help develop a programme.
We are able to bring resource into areas in terms of knowledge of approaches used elsewhere, training, advice and guidance, programmes that can be shaped to work locally and support to develop locally led funding applications. So far we have worked with 1,000 organisations across the UK and we want to keep this growing. There are over three million children and young people living in poverty in the UK, so 1,000 is by far not yet enough. Visit www.streetgames.org for more information.
Come and be part of developing an offer
Together, there are things we can do, but we need to challenge existing ways of working and focus on the ‘Why’ – Why we do what we do and why we exist as organisations. If the answer is to help shape the future for young people and to contribute to changes for them, then come and be part of developing an offer for the children and young people of Middlesbrough. We will be hosting an event on:
Thursday 8 June 1 – 3pm at Trinity Centre, North Ormesby
At this meeting we will look at the issues facing children and young people in Middlesbrough, what can be done by working together to tackle these issues and to explore what support can be provided by StreetGames and MVDA. Book your place here
I am Head of Network Development at StreetGames, and my main responsibility is to ensure that the hundreds of organisations comprising the StreetGames network, and the young people within them, play a central role in the charity’s work. This helps to ensure the relationship StreetGames has with its network, is as strong as possible.
I am also a serving board member and Trustee for NCVYS (National Council for Voluntary Youth Services) and MACC (Manchester Alliance of Community Care).
Contact me at john.downes@streetgames.org
John Downes
Head of network development
StreetGames