www.fyt.org.uk / frontier@fyt.org.uk 1

As the new boy at Frontier Youth Trust I have had the privilege of meeting supporters, previous staff and those with the vision to have started FYT nearly 50 years ago. (e.g. in this FYT News we feature Roger Venables on p2). Recently at our StreetSpace Gathering we discussed the need to “re-visit our founding story” in order to remain relevant in a changing world and I love to meet people involved in the past, setting the vision of FYT, as it helps me to reflect on where FYT should be working today with young people at risk.

David Sheppard was well known as a captain of England’s cricket team, and later a Bishop in Woolwich and Liverpool. However he was also very significant in the formative years of FYT and although I didn’t get the chance to meet him, a member of the FYT team pointed me to comments made by a colleague of his, Tom Wylie who at the time was Chief Executive of the NYA (National Youth Agency). He said of him, ‘Although involved nationally with various youth bodies, notably the Frontier Youth Trust, David was a champion of the youth service as a whole, especially its work with marginalised and disadvantaged young people. He said to me once when we worked together in Liverpool - “we must support the people with the dreams”. It is an enduring call to youth work.’

Recently FYT has been thinking about ways to support the dreamers. Those who are dreaming of new ways to engage young people at the edge through StreetSpace; those dreaming of ways to help the church make a difference to unemployed young people; and dreaming of a way to support young people as they seek to reduce their offending among so many other dreams.

I met some dreamers at the recent FYT StreetSpace Gathering (see p6). It was humbling to meet such a dedicated group of workers. FYT wants to support those that dream for young people, but also FYT wants to help meet young people where they are to realise their dreams.

Already at FYT my experience is of the valuable support that FYT receives, and the fact that there are many dedicated youth workers out there who not only dream dreams on behalf of young people but have a vision to help young people make a tangible difference in their life. I am grateful to everyone who brings hope into young people’s lives as they do.

“Supporting the people with the dreams” to me remains an enduring call to youth work.

out4goodbrings freedom

one in a millioncampaign update

zine develops young leaders

2

rogervenables

content

3

4

6

supporting those With the dreams…

7

feet on the streets for fyt

8

fyt alongside bikers...

spring 2013/News

Alastair Jones, CEO FYT

/ News – Spring 20132

This was written by George MacLeod, the founder of the Iona Community:

Christ is a person to be trusted, not a principle to be tested.The church is a movement not a meeting house.Faith is an experience not an exposition.Christians are explorers not map-makers.

It seemed to me to be what FYT is all about and I ask you to pray for us as we seek to be explorers and experiencers of Christ’s calling. Particularly pray for:

z Out4Good as we wait to hear if our bid for renewed funding from the Big Lottery is successful. Success will mean we can extend our work to vulnerable young women leaving prison.

z Debbie Garden as she continues to promote “One in a Million”, run Coffee Shop Theology for Christian youth workers and mentor youth workers through FYT Alongside.

z StreetSpace as they continue to have a real impact on youth work with marginalised young people. Remember

» Richard as he leads the team and works to complete a follow-up to his earlier book “Meet Them Where They’re At” which has been really influential in Christian youth work.

» John Wheatley supporting projects around the country.

» Martin Stewart developing projects in London

» Clare McCormack about to start working in Scotland

z All the opportunities to make more people aware of youth unemployment through the “One in a Million” campaign.

z Our joint staff and directors’ meeting on 16th April when we work together to discern God’s plan for us in the next few years.

roger venables Roger and Ann Venables have been involved in FYT since the early founding days of the Trust. They have both been involved in frontier youth work since starting with Holmecroft Youth Centre in Stafford. This was a centre that Roger’s father founded as a response to the needs of bored teenagers in 1942 during the war and Roger assisted with this. As the work of FYT developed into regional committees, FYT conferences and beyond Roger has served as an FYT trustee and director for 48 years. At the end of 2012 as the longest serving FYT director he retired from the board at last year’s AGM. Through that time he never lost sight of the radical approach of FYT and has continued to support and encourage FYT in its mission with young people at risk.

The vision of FYT was to bring

together Christian people of like minds in their youth work and help to support those workers if the churches they were working with didn’t understand the nature of their work and mission. That is still a relevant vision for FYT and the same stories are told today across the reach of FYT. Ann has seen a big change in the nature of youth work since the 1980s and both her and Roger understand that what really matters is young people.

We are so grateful to all that Roger has achieved through his

long serving commitment to FYT across its history and wish him and Ann a fruitful and enjoyable retirement, while we are sure he will continue to inspire and support FYT to be relevant to the needs of young people all over the UK.

Ian Sparks

prayers from the chair

www.fyt.org.uk / frontier@fyt.org.uk 3

out4good helps bring freedom to a young person As our winter extended into spring, recall looking out of the window at the snow on the ground, frost in the air and a temperature of -3c. Now consider living in a caravan on a farm with no heating. Would you drink to keep warm? Would you drink to forget? Or would you drink just because there was nothing else to do?

That’s how we came across Marcus. Having left prison with nowhere else to stay and a further suspended sentence hanging in the balance, Marcus was subject to a curfew order meaning he could not go outside from 7pm until 7am. Cold, bored and lonely, he was at a high risk of breaching his order and slipping further into alcohol dependency.

Marcus was nervous at the prospect of sharing accommodation but was keen to receive help. He arrived at the doors of the ‘Out4Good’ project almost a year and a half ago. The initial progress was slow, gradual monitoring of alcohol intake, looking at basic tasks such as budgeting, shopping and developing of goals. We found Marcus was a fun young man but had been subdued by his lack of confidence for some time.

There are points during the course of working for a project like ours that you have to look on in disbelief. Having missed out on some very basic interactions, encouragement and development Marcus had found himself in a hole that he didn’t feel he could get out of himself. However, with support and affirmation he quickly began to come out of his shell.

O4G’s project worker, Steve, and Marcus took up badminton. This helped Marcus’ development in a number of ways: his lifestyle became more healthy, his circle of social contacts widened. Through a simple act such as taking up a sport we were able to involve a positive role model and develop a regular patterns of diary management and healthy living.

This, along with other support activities, led to Marcus’ progressing at an encouraging pace. It didn’t take long for him to be ready to go into our ‘move-on house’. Even after completing his curfew order, he continued to meet with

an alcohol worker. Marcus, with support and encouragement, was able to gain part time employment and just a few months ago we were able to assist Marcus in moving on to his own independent accommodation.

Marcus came to us as he needed a place to stay: what he was able to get was so much more. This is why we exist. We visited Marcus before Christmas in his new accommodation. He was really pleased to be independent again but this time to feel like he had support and the ability to maintain himself and sustain a more positive and focused lifestyle.

Marcus has come such a long way and people have even commented about how different he looks than he did some 18 months ago.

The process of moving on is what we are here for. We keep in touch with our ex service users and benefit greatly from their feedback. Our prayer is that they never come back again.

In a good way of course.

Jeannette Hewes

Out4Good is grateful to receive funding from Big Lottery Reaching

Communities Fund

(The young person’s name in this article has been changed for confidentiality)

/ News – Spring 20134

ConneCting with ChurChesNovember was a particularly busy month. On November 13th the West Midlands Region Churches Forum held an event in Birmingham called “Blessed are the Entrepreneurs: Christian Mission with young unemployed” to help churches across the West Midlands discover ways of creating new employment opportunities and the One in a Million report set the context for the day. Some exciting and creative projects were presented and people seemed very encouraged and motivated to develop initiatives in their own areas.

Later in the month the Church of England General Synod took place. This Synod had been particularly anticipated for its focus on women bishops and the departure of Rowan Williams, but the Mission and Public Affairs (MPA) team were keen to prioritise the church’s role in the issues facing the nation. On November 21st the MPA team hosted a lunchtime fringe event including talks from Rev Joshua Rey, formerly Director

of Strategy for the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, and from Chris Price, Executive Director of Pecan, a Christian organisation that works with long-term unemployed people in Peckham. Synod members had the opportunity to discuss the issues with the speakers and members of the “One in a Million” research team and FYT distributed copies of the resource pack. Tom Sefton, from the MPA team, said, “There are some excellent church-based initiatives which are making a real difference to the lives of young unemployed people. We hope the debate at synod will encourage churches to consider what more they could do to listen and respond to the experiences of young people in communities right across the country.”

This event was immediately followed by a debate of the General Synod based on the One in a Million report. This debate resulted in the following motion being “overwhelmingly carried”: “That this Synod, mindful of the

corrosive effect of unemployment on young people, their future prospects and social integration, and recognising that economic policy solutions alone cannot tackle the problems without strong networks and initiatives in the community at large:

a) encourages parishes and church groups to listen to the voices of unemployed young people, both locally and through reports such as CUF/FYT’s “I am one in a Million”;

b) commends and encourages the multiplication of church and community initiatives which can provide training and other support to assist young people into work and help them manage the experience of unemployment without despair”

It has been fantastic to see the report provoking debate, discussion and dialogue across the UK church. Please pray that these conversations lead to change.

ONE IN A MILLION – CAMPAIGN UPDATEFrom connecting with churches to developing support for young people, the campaign has been active in many ways since the last FYT News.

Taking iT Back To The STreeTSSince Christmas, we’ve been looking at connecting the campaign back to the experiences of young people which inspired it. In partnership with O2, we are developing an ipad application for youth workers to use with young people which offers advice on seeking out the right job, making applications and going to interviews, preparing for starting work and dealing with disappointment.

In January, we hosted a day to gather advice and suggestions for inclusion in the app which was attended by Job Centre advisers, employers, HR/

recruitment specialists and youth workers. We spent the day analysing each stage young people go through in the job search process and collected top tips and advice for making the most of opportunities and support. Since then we’ve been collating that information and developing ways to present it so that it makes a useful tool for youth workers and young people. We’ll be trialling the app during the spring and launching it fully in the summer. We’ve been surprised and thrilled at the support we’ve had from all those who’ve given time to develop this resource. Thanks very much everyone!

www.fyt.org.uk / frontier@fyt.org.uk 5

Campaign on TourThe end of the year saw a series of One in a Million events take place, culminating in a trip to Brussels!

We publicised the campaign at Youthwork the Conference and invited people to take part in a photo campaign. We facilitated Coffee Shop Theology events in Hitchin and Canterbury looking at work and how it relates to our sense of self and to our spiritual health. And then… off to Brussels!

The Church and Society Commission (CSC - http://csc.ceceurope.org/who-we-are) of the Conference of European Churches (CEC) invited us to go to present One in a Million as an example of how churches in EU nations are responding to youth unemployment during a conference exploring the theory and practice of social market economy. Along with representatives from projects in Spain, Germany and Greece, Debbie made a presentation to members of churches and Christian organisations from across Europe as well as EU policy advisers. (To view CSC’s press release about the event, see here: http://goo.gl/InbZw

Of the projects presented, One in a Million was unique in seeking to address stereotyping and the stigma related to unemployment as well as developing employability and work-readiness, and in seeking to inspire and equip local churches and groups to make a response.

Debbie Garden

The FuTureAnd there’s still more! Some of the future campaign developments are:

z The Nuneaton Rotary has asked us to give a presentation on the One in a Million research. As a group of local business owners and employers, they are keen to know more about the issue and how they can respond.

z Workshops: To help churches to find locally-appropriate, achievable, practical, relevant and effective ways of addressing youth unemployment, we are offering to help coordinate and facilitate regional workshops which include:

» An opening address to set the scene by outlining the report findings

» 3 or 4 short presentations about different existing local initiatives and projects

» A choice of workshops/Q&A sessions hosted by each project

» A second round of presentations and workshops

This structure enabled each participant to hear 6-8 project presentations and attend more in-depth workshops about 2 projects. The workshops also created a context in which to showcase and share good practice, inspire new ideas, publicise projects of different sizes and with a variety of goals and to make local connections – both between leaders of existing projects and between interested participants.

Having been involved in workshops in London and the midlands, we would be keen to find out if there in interest in such events in the north east, north west and south west. If you would like to have a workshop in your area, we will work with you to seek out existing initiatives and projects in your area and invite them to participate, then put together a programme. To find out more about organising an event in your area, please get in touch.

As ever, if you’d like to get involved, keep informed, read the report, or download the resource pack, please visit www.fyt.org.uk/news or contact Debbie Garden on debbie.garden@fyt.org.uk. We’d love to hear from you.

/ News – Spring 20136

“zine” develops young leaders As the StreetSpace Gathering met with 40 youth workers from around the UK in Cardiff, Zine is proving to be a dynamic resource in not only building teams in StreetSpace projects but releasing young people into possibilities they didn’t know they could achieve before…

People are key, and with more demands placed on people’s time, StreetSpace has been experimenting at growing local young leaders through the work.

Last year we launched Zine Community Activist Training. Zine is essentially shorthand for a magazine, and because many of the local young people we work with don’t read (they can read but choose not to unless they have to), and need something short and punchy, we developed it as a leadership training programme in a magazine style. Interactive with pictures of young people who have gone through the project, games, activities and space to doodle, Zine covers all the basics, like child protection, the detached stages we use, community audits and values etc.

Zine has been run successfully twice now in Chard and the enthusiasm of the most recent cohort has taken my breath away. Tracey and Mark the local volunteers leading the programme have done an amazing job inspiring the young leaders, and they are now an embedded core part of the volunteer team. This Easter they will be running an Easter egg hunt and community worship event at the local skate park. In the summer they are helping run a skate jam at a neighbouring town and talking about how this is the first time the towns have come together and the importance of breaking down the history of antipathy between the young people. Then they are keen to start a StreetSpace project in a new area themselves.

After Tracey texted one of the Zine young men to thank him for attending the team meeting, he texted back saying “No thank you! It’s us three who should be thanking you and the others for giving us the opportunity in which we can see things from a different perspective and change our roles, to help us become what I feel: better people. The experience has been brilliant and I’m looking forward to becoming more involved, helping and potentially changing the lives of young people. Top youth leader I am HAhaHA.”

the third annual StreetSpace gatheringAnd so it was, in mid-March, the StreetSpace Community met to unpack some of the biggest issues facing youth work today. Forty youth workers, paid and voluntary from twenty-four different projects, gathered at Hebron Hall in Cardiff for a weekend of discussion, conversation and challenge. We had presentations, discussions and workshops, led by the community, on themes including young leaders, community work, emerging spirituality, mutual relationships, urban youth work, rural youth work, working with young adults, mentoring, and much more. Throughout the weekend, participants split into small leadership groups to help shape the direction of the Gathering, setting the learning agenda, recording the distance travelled, and offering helpful feedback - all with the help of colourful props. We closed the weekend with worship around the theme of young people on the edge, led by The Lab, a StreetSpace project in Newport. It was an inspiring time away for those that came, and we look forward to seeing the direct difference it will make in the lives of the young people we work with. Thank you to everyone who contributed, including CPAS who helped subsidise the costs, it was an invaluable time together.

More on the Gathering to follow in the summer edition of FYT News.

Richard Passmore

Plans are already taking shape for next year, which will combine the StreetSpace Gathering with an FYT Conference. Hold the dates: 13th-16th March 2014 for the whole conference with a 50 year anniversary celebration event in the afternoon / evening of Saturday the 15th March.

The theme will be “Supporting People to Dream at the Edge”.

For more information on Zine or StreetSpace contact Richard Passmore, via the FYT office.

www.fyt.org.uk / frontier@fyt.org.uk 7

feet on the streets for fytAlastair Jones, FYT’s CEO, is running the Manchester Marathon on April 28th 2013 starting in Old Trafford and going through the streets of Stretford, Urmston, Carrington and beyond.

The sponsor page can be found at https://my.give.net/FYTMarathon

He is fundraising for the work of the Frontier Youth Trust and the funds raised will be used for mission with young people at risk across the UK. Alastair has run a marathon twice before but not in his home City

of Manchester. He says, “I really believe in the impact that FYT has with so many young people and the youth workers it supports around the UK. Knowing that putting one foot in front of the other will help those young people is the kind of

motivation I need to help get me through the wall and around the 26.2 miles.”

£5 would support a meeting with a youth worker

£25 would help to deliver a session with young people at risk

£150 would provide a training session on Responding to Challenging Behaviour

If you would like to do a fundraising event on anything from the Edinburgh Marathon to a sponsored silence in Cornwall to support FYT then you can set up your own page on my.give.net. Just search for Frontier Youth Trust as a charity to support on www.give.net.

Debbie Garden

fyt alongside bikers...Calling all youth workers on 2 motorised wheels!

For the past year, FYT has been working with Full Throttle, a motorcycling youth work project, and we’d love to know if anyone else out there is doing this kind of work.

Full Throttle was set up in 2006 by Dan Harris, professional youth worker and biking enthusiast, to help young people to experience the thrill and adventure of life on 2 wheels safely and responsibly and to explore and reflect on the thrill and adventure of life. From the practical - such as helping young people to get their motorcycling license, through the social - such as the Kent Young Bikers club, to the adventurous - such as the alarmingly named annual Numball Rally, Full Throttle connects with young people to help them make the most of their journey through life, develop skills and explore their identity.

Through FYT Alongside, we have been working with Dan to help him develop a network of practitioners in similar work, to share his expertise with others and to make available materials which have developed from years of supporting young people. If you would like to know more about Dan’s work, if you’re doing

something similar or you’re a biker keen to see young people engaging in a spiritual journey through biking, Dan would love to hear from you. Email him - info@danharris.org.uk - and find out more from the Full Throttle UK Facebook page here: http://goo.gl/euyqc.

FYT Alongside is mentoring/consultancy support which we offer to individual youth workers, churches and groups who are keen to develop their work with young people. If you are interested in getting some help, advice or encouragement from FYT, please download the Alongside information leaflet for further information (from our website) or email the office: frontier@fyt.org.uk.

/ News – Spring 20138

for regular neWs and updates:

Frontier Youth Trust is a company limited by guarantee. Company no. 3264908. Charity no. 1059328 and in Scotland SC043239

contact:Frontier Youth Trust (S15b)St. George’s Community Hub Great Hampton RowNewtown, Birmingham B19 3JG

Office: 0121 687 3505

Email: frontier@fyt.org.uk

Follow us on @FYTtweets (we like to follow supporters back)

And check the Website: www.fyt.org.uk

Like us on Facebook: fb.me/frontieryouthtrust

snippets neWs

staff changesWe were sad to say goodbye to FYT’s Admin and Finance Officer (AFO) Leanne Youngson this month. After 5 years with FYT, she is leaving to take on a face to face role, teaching young people in a local school. We are so pleased that working with FYT has inspired Leanne in her work with young people, which included her winning a regional award for her work in developing her local park.

We have already interviewed for a replacement and will introduce you to the new AFO in the next edition of FYT News. In Scotland we are pleased to welcome Clare McCormack as our StreetSpace Development Worker Scotland and will also introduce her in the next issue of News.

We are also sad to say goodbye to Steve Lawson who has worked for O4G for the past 2½ years and is taking on a pastoral role in a high school supporting young people and again we know he will do a great job with those young people.

neW fyt director and trusteeFYT is very pleased to announce that we have a new director. Mark Berry who lives in Telford, is the pioneer leader of the “Safespace” community and works full time for the Church Mission Society as well as having extensive experience of innovating new ways of connecting with young people in mission.

electronic updatesIf you are on our electronic email list you should have received updates by now from FYT using a service provided by Mailchimp. We are continuing to provide FYT News in paper format. However if you would also like to receive an electronic update and breaking news

from FYT then please email us with your forename, surname and email address to info@fyt.org.uk.

bursary updateWe are very pleased to say that we have had a fantastic response to the bursary fund set up in memory of Terry Dunnell. A massive thank you to everyone who contributed. Details about how youth work students can apply for a bursary are now available on our web site or from the FYT office. It is not too late to make a donation in memory of Terry; simply send a gift to the FYT office, clearly marking it ‘Terry Dunnell’.

congratulationsWe would like to pass on our congratulations to John Wheatley (pictured left) who is a valuable part of the FYT team working nationally with StreetSpace and in Weston-Super-Mare as we celebrate his marriage to Cathy in February this year. Cathy is also

a volunteer as part of the StreetSpace Weston-Super-Mare team.

neW logoThank-you if you forwarded your feedback on the new design of FYT News. As you will have seen, we have a new Logo for FYT which is designed to represent the different facets and ways that FYT works with young people at risk while at the same time the value we place on young people (the logo is shaped like a diamond). It is also no accident that it is a similar shape to a previous logo of ours and the cross shape of the “t” reminds us and our supporters of our founding Christian values, so although it is new we hope you also find it familiar.