Carmarthenshire project scoops award
A project making a difference to the lives of vulnerable young people in parts of Carmarthenshire has won brand new national award.
The Carmarthen Post 16 Outreach Project set up by Carmarthenshire County Council’s Youth Service was presented with an inaugural Youth Work in Wales Excellence Awards.
Managed by the Welsh Assembly Government, local authorities across Wales and the Voluntary Youth Service, the awards scheme has been designed to showcase innovative and inspiring projects and individuals who work in providing non-formal education opportunities to young people.
The presentation of the awards took place at Cardiff’s SWALEC Stadium in a ceremony hosted by Welsh television presenters Sarra Elgan and Jason Mohammad.
Two other Youth Service projects were short listed for awards; The SMART projects and the delivery of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards.
The Carmarthen Post 16 Outreach Project won in the ‘empowering’ category of the awards, for ‘encouraging and enabling young people to understand their rights and responsibilities so that they, as responsible citizens of the communities of which they are a part, are able to engage with the personal, social and political issues which affect their lives and the lives of others’.
The project was established in 2002 to identify and provide support to 16 to 25-year-olds not in education, employment or training as a result of a range of personal difficulties.
The initiative has since given long term help to young people facing homelessness, family problems, experiences of traumas and abuse, negative experiences of education, involvement in crime, substance misuse, health problems, emotional and mental health problems, learning difficulties, being young parents and financial problems.
The young people have support on a one to one basis to work through specific issues through discussion, counselling skills and issue-based work. They also have the chance to take part in a range of projects aimed at building their confidence, self esteem and skills.
In 2009, around 300 young people enrolled for projects including ‘Positive Play’ for young mothers aged 16-25 and their children up to the age of five. This saw them take part in parenting skills sessions on issues such as managing behaviour, health and nutrition, first aid and language.
The Furnace Banc Falcons football programme involves young men aged 16-25 meeting weekly to train and then compete in the Street Football Wales Homeless Football League – in which the team has through the years achieved first and second place and seen several players go on to represent Wales in the Homeless World Cup.
A current carpentry project has young people working to produce a community seating area for a deprived part of the town, and several youngsters have taken part in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme and are working towards OCN qualifications.
Senior Youth Worker, Chris Davis said:
“The initiative has been the difference for many young people between success or failure, the street or accommodation, a path of crime or going straight – and even life and death,”
Huw Lewis, Deputy Minister for Children added:“There are more than 20,000 youth workers in Wales - each and every one helping to make a difference to the lives of local young people through their support and encouragement.
“The Youth Work Wales Excellence Awards have been created by the Welsh Assembly Government in conjunction with the Local Authority and Voluntary Youth Service to recognise and reward youth projects and youth workers’ innovation, dedication and hard work and highlight the vital work they do to transform young people’s lives and help ensure that they have a better future.”
The Carmarthen Post 16 Outreach Project set up by Carmarthenshire County Council’s Youth Service was presented with an inaugural Youth Work in Wales Excellence Awards.
Managed by the Welsh Assembly Government, local authorities across Wales and the Voluntary Youth Service, the awards scheme has been designed to showcase innovative and inspiring projects and individuals who work in providing non-formal education opportunities to young people.
The presentation of the awards took place at Cardiff’s SWALEC Stadium in a ceremony hosted by Welsh television presenters Sarra Elgan and Jason Mohammad.
Two other Youth Service projects were short listed for awards; The SMART projects and the delivery of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards.
The Carmarthen Post 16 Outreach Project won in the ‘empowering’ category of the awards, for ‘encouraging and enabling young people to understand their rights and responsibilities so that they, as responsible citizens of the communities of which they are a part, are able to engage with the personal, social and political issues which affect their lives and the lives of others’.
The project was established in 2002 to identify and provide support to 16 to 25-year-olds not in education, employment or training as a result of a range of personal difficulties.
The initiative has since given long term help to young people facing homelessness, family problems, experiences of traumas and abuse, negative experiences of education, involvement in crime, substance misuse, health problems, emotional and mental health problems, learning difficulties, being young parents and financial problems.
The young people have support on a one to one basis to work through specific issues through discussion, counselling skills and issue-based work. They also have the chance to take part in a range of projects aimed at building their confidence, self esteem and skills.
In 2009, around 300 young people enrolled for projects including ‘Positive Play’ for young mothers aged 16-25 and their children up to the age of five. This saw them take part in parenting skills sessions on issues such as managing behaviour, health and nutrition, first aid and language.
The Furnace Banc Falcons football programme involves young men aged 16-25 meeting weekly to train and then compete in the Street Football Wales Homeless Football League – in which the team has through the years achieved first and second place and seen several players go on to represent Wales in the Homeless World Cup.
A current carpentry project has young people working to produce a community seating area for a deprived part of the town, and several youngsters have taken part in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme and are working towards OCN qualifications.
Senior Youth Worker, Chris Davis said:
“The initiative has been the difference for many young people between success or failure, the street or accommodation, a path of crime or going straight – and even life and death,”
Huw Lewis, Deputy Minister for Children added:“There are more than 20,000 youth workers in Wales - each and every one helping to make a difference to the lives of local young people through their support and encouragement.
“The Youth Work Wales Excellence Awards have been created by the Welsh Assembly Government in conjunction with the Local Authority and Voluntary Youth Service to recognise and reward youth projects and youth workers’ innovation, dedication and hard work and highlight the vital work they do to transform young people’s lives and help ensure that they have a better future.”
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