Southwick Neighbourhood Youth Project

Registered charity no. 1044254

271 Southwick Road, Southwick,

Sunderland, SR5 2AB

01915491179

www.snyp.co.uk

Our funders

BBC Children In Need

Esmee Fairbairn Foundation

Ballinger Charitable Trust

City of Sunderland Council

Sir Tom Cowie

Virgin Money Foundation

Garfield Weston Foundation

Ernest Cook Trust

Trusthouse Charitable Trust

The Joicey Trust

Chapman Fund

I am Important

Volunteers, staff and students

Terri Middleton

Lil Edminson

Trish Dennis

Lesley Lawson

Meg Robertson

Kayleigh Richardson

Julie Foster

Dave Mitchell

Sandra Rößler

Chris Brown

John Robertson

Becky Simpson

Ruth Oxley

Gemma Tunstall

Katy Barrigan

Shona Sloanes

Sanda Simkis

Adam Gorzelanczyk

Daniel Mills

Jessica Farquhar

SNYP Management Committee

Claire Williams

Su Kaur

Ann Russell

Clair Roper

Kayleigh Brown

Becca Johnson

Joleen Lumsden

Miles Elliott

Sue Callaghan

Partners

The All Together Consortium

SNCBC

Sunderland City Council

The Cranfield Trust

Southwick Community Primary School

Bizzy B’s

Eon Arts

National Glass Centre

University of Sunderland

City of Sunderland College

Redhouse Academy

As this year draws to a close, I find myself once again reflecting on how

successful and meaningful the work of SNYP has been. The funding climate

for a project such as ours remains difficult, however we are hopeful that the

supporters of SNYP can long continue to see the value of the work we do

and go on investing in the young people.

The successes of the project could not occur without the efforts and

commitment of so many people; our volunteers and Management

Committee who give their time freely, the students eager to learn and

develop their skills and knowledge and the young people who continually

give us the privilege of being part of their lives, letting us know how we can

support their needs and wishes.

The staff at SNYP are also dedicated and committed to their work,

providing the best possible outcomes and making a difference in the lives of

so many young people; this year two valued members of staff left the team;

Kayleigh Richardson and Julie Foster. Kayleigh began her journey with SNYP

as a young person who used the project and stayed with us for seven years;

Julie had been with SNYP for nine years, I would like to thank Kayleigh and

Julie for all of their work with the project, they’ll be missed, and I’d like to

extend my best wishes and luck to them for the future.

SNYP has been able to stay at the forefront of youth work in the area and

remains steadfast in it’s commitment to equality for the young people of

Southwick, reductions in council funding due early next year may cause an

increase in demand for our services and it is vital that we have somewhere

or someone for the young people who need us, I’m reassured by the very

high levels of commitment and dedication from everyone involved with

SNYP and I’m hopeful that next year will be successful too.

Claire Williams

Chairperson

What SNYP means to me…

By the Girls Group and the Lads Group

SNYP is an amazing place to come, the workers are all

lovely. I have met some amazing friends at SNYP. It’s a

great place to come and socialise at. I have made and done

a lot of lovely things at SNYP. The best time I have had is

going to flamingo land and light water valley.

I love having a laugh and being creative, for example

drawing, playing games and pool and computers. I enjoyed

the Italian kitchen for food, I had pepperoni pizza. A couple

of weeks ago all of the lads made a collage. We used old and

new photos of ourselves.

I love the sense of community and

what the youth club gives to young

people, the centre does loads of

amazing activities and projects. They

are fun to do and be involved in. I

think for the quiet young people, it

gives them a chance to socialise and

you meet some amazing people.

I have been coming since I

was eight years old and I

have done many things from

when I first came till now. I

have enjoyed many of the

simple things like walks alt-

hough I think the trip to the

mill was the best because

we had a starter, main and

dessert. This just so

happened to be the first

meal that was professionally

set up. I am very grateful for

all that SNYP has done for

me and I hope others show

some appreciation for the

group.

Girls group means where you feel safe

around good people, spending time with

people. I have enjoyed that I have met

the best staff and getting on with others,

I like cooking things

Project Co-ordinator’s overview

The report has highlighted some of the fantastic work undertaken at the

project during the last year, many more memories have been created and a

great deal of young people have benefited from the youth work we’ve done.

We’ve undertaken more partnership work, during the Easter and Summer

school holidays we worked with SNCBC to provide additional provision to

young people and with an aim to reduce holiday hunger. We have worked

with the Bizzy B’s to deliver a community fun day, the Southwick

Illuminations and to share some of the costs associated with Flamingo Land

and Lightwater Valley.

Our environmental work this year has consisted of community litter picks,

some of which were with The Marley Park fire station and Sunderland City

Council, Councillor Miles Elliott and we also recycled old tyres during the

summer where young people made garden furniture, planters, see saws and

dog beds; all of the young people involved received an ASDAN award to

reinforce their achievements.

We were once again invited to do a project with the National Glass Centre;

some young people made instruments during a very intensive week which

culminated with a wonderful performance I was lucky enough to attend.

As we move forward into next year we will be concentrating on our

fundraising efforts in order to continue the positive work we do, we are

also working more collectively with other youth projects across the city so

we can be stronger together and create a robust network of support

centred around common goals; we are also hoping that young people can

have a stronger voice in the city they call home, we will ensure that they are

represented and part of the City of Culture bid ; we will continue be their

champions and make sure they’re heard.

Ruth

I Am Important

Just over a year ago we were introduced to John and Louise from I am Important;

they wanted to make a difference to lives of children and young people in

Southwick - to show them that they ‘are important’ and should be cherished and

valued. They chose to invest in our project and give the young people a years

worth of activities that they wouldn’t usually be able to access.

We were able to have Christmas parties in SNYP during December 2015, thanks

to I Am Important the young people aged from 8-19 were able to come together,

share food, play party games and have a whole lot of fun and silliness. Every young

person also got to take home a selection box as a thank you for spending their

time with us.

During 2016 we were able to plan at least one outing per month for the different

young people that come into SNYP, I Am Important helped us to visit Southlake

Safari Park, Restaurants, Whitley Bay Ice Rink, Laser quest, Sunderland Climbing

Wall, Gravity Force, the Stadium of Light and Broomhouse Farm. We also had

parties in the local park, a chef out to the project to teach the young people to

cook and new XBOX games and accessories for the many evenings that young

people spend with us.

The I Am Important project has given many young people the opportunity to take

part in fun and positive activities and outings over this last year. We are truly

grateful and it has meant a great deal to the young people involved.

Girls group means I can interact

and make new friends. It is a safe

place to go to hang out with your

friends. The staff are kind and

considerate, they are people who

you can get attached to.

I have enjoyed doing the different

activities as a group. It helps build

up confidence in each other

SNYP is a great place to come,

especially Girls Group! Because

it’s a place to make friends, have a

laugh, create things and lots more.

I really enjoyed when we made

bath bombs. I also enjoyed when

we went to Loui Loui for our trip,

it was a laugh! The workers are

lovely and make you feel welcome

each week

I really enjoyed just dance. Everyone

was saying I have been practising

dancing for the night, however I

haven’t been. I felt like this was an eye

opener to something I was good at.

Throughout the time this year I have

had a lot of eye openers that the youth

workers have realised and supported

me to develop.

Environmental project was fun

because we made lots of plant

pots and see saws and many

other stuff (from tyres)

I’ve been coming to SNYP and

enjoyed doing the pool tournament

and I like the Just Dance on the Wii

Girls group means that I feel happy

because you get to socialise with

different other people and do

different activities each week, I

have enjoyed creating Christmas

things such as the snow globes

The Southwick HACKS

The newspaper has recently published issue 30 and over the past year the

newspaper work witch has continued to make a positive impact on those

young people involved within the different groups. The evidence of this is

in the continued participation of individual attendance, publications

completed and the quality and progress of individual work from participants.

The newspaper has continued to be a platform and successfully give young

people a voice and promotes young people in a positive light.

All the young people involved in the different groups have benefited in

various ways and have learnt different skills relating to computer,

communication, creative writing which has had a positive effect on their

individual progress within their educational achievements.

During the year we have had six satellite groups running, one here within

SNYP; which is the main group that collated all the stories together. Two

within the local primary school; one with a specifically targeted group with

low self-esteem, poor literacy skills and concentration and the other an

afterschool club for year 5’s & 6 which young people interested in writing

stories attend. There are two in the local comprehensive school for year 10

& 11 young people within the alternative education programme and one in a

local youth facility.

Each group had the opportunity to insert stories into the newspaper that

raises the profile of young people in a positive light, this raises the young

people’s confidence and gives them a sense of belonging and of being heard.

After each issue has been produced the young people involved and its read-

ers are asked to evaluate it, the general outcome of the young people’s

evaluation is that they like to see the good things that young people in the

area are doing.

Young people have improved personally and academically, parents and the

individual young people have come in and informed us that they have moved

up sets at school and the parents believe that it’s as a result of being

involved in the newspaper group and the support they have received.

Drop-in Youth Work

The drop-in sessions have been very well used by the young people of

Southwick; 96 individuals have chosen to spend their leisure time with us at

SNYP.

The young people have engaged in conversations about issues of importance

to them, the range of topics is exhaustive however, some of these

conversations centred around homelessness, university, death/bereavement,

money, exams, CV’s/careers, politics, work experience, school proms and

stop smoking, body piercings, racism, sexual health, guns, substance misuse

and feminism.

There have also been numerous activities within the drop-in session

including the use of beer goggles, cooking, table tennis, pool and board/

computer games and a wide range of art and craft sessions such as

Christmas crafts, drawing, handmade decorations, paper crafts, pancakes for

Shrove Tuesday, trinket box dolls, decoupage unicorns, glass painting and

plaster of paris.

The young people have also enjoyed some outings away from the project,

they’ve been to a football match at the Stadium of Light, ice skating at

Whitley Bay, beach party at Roker and more recently a small group went

along to the Sunderland Youth Parliament State of the City Debate where

they were given the opportunity to debate on issues for young people.

The drop-in has given the young people a safe space to call their own - it has

been their choice to attend and we have been able to engage them in a

positive and meaningful youth work process which will hopefully leave a long

and lasting impression.

“Youth Clubs have a unique role and one that should be valued and supported as they can make a

big difference in the lives of many young people and their communities. Club based work can provide

the warm, safe, friendly space for young people that they say they want, it can give them real power

and ownership. It can be a place where they develop new skills, try out new things, where they are

seen and judged differently from the school or home, where their talents and idiosyncrasies are ap-

preciated and where they can have fun. “

Sue Robertson—Youth & Policy

Junior Youth Work

The juniors have been very busy over the last year, 28 young people have

attended the session with the majority attending for a significant length of

time.

The junior group meet at SNYP every Tuesday and Friday straight after

school, there is usually an average of 10 young people at each session and

they all get involved in planning their six-weekly programmes.

The programmes are designed by the young people with support from the

staff and they all give the young people a chance to work together, build

relationships and friendships and generally have fun.

Over the year there have been so many fun activities and outings that the

juniors have done; they've spent their time indoors doing art and craft

projects including tie-dying, scrapbooking, glass painting and costume

making; they’ve also done plenty of cookery sessions including making food

with the social chef, baking cakes, biscuits, and making ice cream sundaes.

Other indoor activities have included games sessions, computer sessions,

having the bouncy castle and watching films. During the warmer months the

junior group spent a lot of time outside, often in the backyard at SNYP

where they whizzed around on scooters, played footy and basketball,

enjoyed giant games such as snakes and ladders and jenga. We also made

use of the local play park and the riverside.

The group also enjoyed outings during every school holiday, they have visit-

ed Washington Wildfowl Park, Southlake Safari Zoo, the climbing wall,

laser quest, Broomhouse Farm, Shields and Roker beach, Silksworth and

Chester-le-street parks, and the centre for life. They were also included in

the project’s visits to Flamingo Land and Frightwater Valley.

Those in alternative education have improved in confidence and have

regularly contributed to each issue informing others about the projects they

have achieved. These young people are unable to function in main stream

school, they have low aspirations, poor attendance and often challenging

behaviour. They have been involved in community and enterprise projects,

they have received ASDAN Short course awards for their valuable contribu-

tion. As a result of this they have improved on their attendances especially

on the day newspaper is run. They have engaged in creative writing tasks

and designing front cover of a magazine challenge. Earlier this year all the

year 11’s have successfully sat their GCSE’s.

The lunchtime group specifically targets young people with concentration,

literacy, confidence and communication issues. These young people have

improved considerably and are very keen to write stories, they are often set

challenges to improve their creative writing and literacy skills. They have

improved in every aspect of the work and have grown in confidence.

Outreach Youth Work

The outreach has continued to provide a youth work presence on the

streets and in the parks of Southwick. We have engaged with 205 individuals

known to us and some young people who we are yet to build relationships

with.

Our main work has taken place predominantly on Thompson and Marley

Pots park which is where the young people choose to gather, they welcome

us on sight and often ask us to meet them again the following session or

week.

Many of the young people we work with choose to access SNYP centre

based sessions as a result of our interaction, others are happy to interact

outside for the moment, hopefully knowing that they are always welcome to

come into the project if the need should arise.

Over the past year we have worked with young people on a wide and

diverse range of issues that are personal to them; we regularly arrange to

meet young people interested in stopping smoking or signing up for C-Card

at the beginning or end of our sessions. Some of the conversations we have

had with young people include talks around local/national politics and Brexit;

we have promoted relevant events such as Summer Streets, the air show,

beach party and XL village as well as training opportunities such as the

North Area Committee youth work course, local apprenticeships and

Princes Trust.

During the warmer months we visited the riverside and the tunnels as well

as the quarries to engage with young people. We have worked with teen

parents to promote relevant services. We have talked with young people

around the dangers of setting fires after a spate at Marley Park. We have

worked with police and CSO’s around the anti-dispersal orders in the area.

We have continued to have effective working relationships with other

organisations too, during the outreach sessions we often visit the XL youth

bus at Marley Pots, to catch up, share best practice and keep up to date

with local issues.

Youth Careers Work

This past year we have supported 144 individual young people with their

employment, training and further education needs.

We have a Facebook page which we encourage young people to join as we

post live daily job vacancies meaning young people can apply and find out

about the latest opportunities and training courses in real time. This has

proved incredibly popular, particularly over the last 6 months and we now

have 1260 members making us the most liked youth project in Sunderland.

An increased amount of the support we now offer is via online

communication. There are times where those hardest to reach struggle to

come into the project, be it a lack of bus fair, no child care, other

appointments etc and we now offer support via social media and e-mail

requests etc. A young person may need a CV updating so send over the

relevant information so that we can update it and then e-mail back etc. It is

likely that this will continue to be popular as technology becomes more

widely available.

We have had an increased number of referrals from the local job centre as

well as word of mouth. Young people like the informal setting that we

provide as we are a full time project that has an open door policy meaning

that no-one requires an appointment, they can simply come and go as they

please. We approach barriers to employment holistically and on an

individual basis. We help give support and information around a number of

issues which could be barriers including, addiction, homelessness, benefit

and financial difficulties, childcare, lack of training and qualifications etc. We

help young people remove these barriers by signposting for specialist

support where required and encouraging them too.

We meet regularly with local training providers and have good relationships

with local businesses and employers too. We work closely with the Princes

Trust who deliver their 12 week Team Programme from our local

Community Fire Station and we have had some good success with young

people who we have referred there and supported throughout the course.