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Youth Work
What on Earth have
I been Doing . . . ? !
I've discovered that time really does fly when you're having fun! I am now well into my third year in Brixham as a Youth Worker. The next six months will hold some crucial decisions, both personally and for the church, as we approach the end of this 3 year post.
The time has been filled with challenges, relationship building, recruiting, resourcing and establishing a work that aims to meet the needs of young people in the town - but it has been great fun!
I started with a blank canvas - so I began by working with and supporting the existing youth projects in Brixham such as; the Youth Enquiry Service and Torbay Youth Service's 'The Box' mobile youth club. After building the essential working relationships with the other services I've been working hard over the past year to establish a Christian based Youth Work and presence in Brixham.
In July 2008, I started to recruit a team of volunteers to run a range of projects for young people. We started with the launch of FACE in October 2008, which is an ecumenical youth cell group that allows young people (aged 14-19) to explore the Christian faith through teaching.
At the same time, we started the first team of Detached Youth Workers who have been doing street based youth work every Saturday evening – the team works closely with the Police to identify areas of anti-social behaviour.
In January this year I recruited Charlotte, our first Schools Worker, who is based at Brixham College and works with Matt, the LiNX Schools Worker, to deliver clubs and activities within the school.
Again, at the same time, a new Volunteer Youth Worker training course started which is being delivered by Torbay Youth Service and myself. This ran for two months and aimed to give new volunteers within Brixham and the rest of Torbay the opportunity to gain youth work skills. The course has been so popular that we will be running it again - so watch this space!
February 2009 saw the opening of a new ‘Drop In’ centre on Fridays nights – based at the new URC building at Bolton Cross. This is being run by myself and a team of four volunteers and gives young people in Brixham somewhere safe and warm to ‘hang out’. The Drop In has already been attracting young people who have been congregating in the various bus shelters and street corners across Brixham.
In April 2009 we saw two new Detached Youth Work teams start in Brixham on Friday evenings; one team will be based in the Town Centre and the other in the Furzeham area.
In addition to all of this, I’m still working with the multi-agency Cluster Team at Brixham College and supporting Brixham Youth Enquiry Service – as well as entertaining the troops on the piano!
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your continuing support. Your financial giving, commitments and prayers are very much valued as it means that the Church in Brixham can continue to work with and support young people in Brixham – and demonstrate that the Church is out in the community delivering quality youth work that is meeting the needs of young people."
For more information, please feel free to contact me on 01803 853794 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Jon
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