Southmead Youth Centre achieves gold standard

Southmead Youth Centre has achieved a ‘gold’ rating from the government for its work to engage young people in positive activities.

Positive Futures is a national project funded by the Home Office. It aims to use sports and leisure activities as a way of preventing anti-social behaviour. By encouraging young people to play an active role in their community and take up sports, music, volunteering and other opportunities, it helps them develop skills and confidence.

Southmead Youth Centre has been delivering Positive Futures activities for the last ten years. The project targets young people at risk of problems with anti-social behaviour, drug misuse, or youth crime, helping them find routes back into education and employment.

At its most recent evaluation, the Positive Futures work by Southmead Youth Centre was judged to be of a ‘gold’ standard. This is the highest possible rating and is based on how well the project is managed, its partnerships with other organisations, the range of activities for young people, attendance levels and outcomes.

There are around 350 people registered with the project, with around 150 young people taking part in activities each week. Young people with disabilities have the opportunity to join in sessions and take up volunteering opportunities. Some sessions are designed for boys or girls only, and some are mixed sessions.

Marie Manser, Senior Youth and Community Worker, said: “This project is making a real difference to the lives of some of our most vulnerable young people. We are confident of our ability to deliver high quality activities, targeted towards young people who are most in need of support. From traditional sports, arts and crafts, to more specialist projects designed to prevent bullying, we offer a broad range of activities to attract young people and encourage them to make positive choices for their future.”

Councillor Clare Campion-Smith, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “We are very pleased to have the work of Southmead Youth Centre acknowledged in this way. It is a positive incentive to young people and the local community to see what effort and hard work can achieve. Our ultimate aim is to provide young people with the skills they need to succeed in the wider community by delivering advice, guidance and targeted help and support.”