Many of our projects are delivered in schools, around peer mentoring on issues like smoking and bullying.  But we also run a lot of projects outside school. The projects listed below are all happening in the early part of 2009, so get in touch if you'd like to get involved in one of the projects, or if you'd like to volunteer with the Just 4 Youth team.   

Speak Out, Be Heard!
Just 4 Youth is currently holding a number of Speak Out Be Heard events for young people across West Middlesbrough.  The aim is to develop the voices of young people, to give young people the chance to be listened to and to help them to make positive changes in the areas where they live.

Workers from ‘Just 4 Youth’ are engaging with young people to find out what the local issues are and want activities young people would like to be involved in. So far, events have taken place in Whinney Banks & Newport Youth Centres. At these events, young people have completed a form to state what their issues are and to give their contact details so we can keep in regular contact with them on progress.

The next step is for Just 4 Youth to make contact with appropriate organisations and agencies around the issues young people have identified; to get them to meet the young people to get a basic awareness; and to start planning solutions to the issues raised.

U Choose Youth Bank
In May 2008, WMNT launched its UChoose project in which the West Middlesbrough community was given the chance to nominate projects to make their area safer, cleaner or greener. In July, the community voted on which projects WMNT would fund. One of the projects which was successful in winning funding was Youth Bank, an idea from the young people of West Middlesbrough which Just 4 Youth is supporting.

Youth Bank is an innovative grantmaking initiative run by young people for young people. It provides small grants to projects led by young people, of benefit to the community and that also benefit the young people taking part.
Youth Bank is unique in that it is young people themselves who make decisions about how local Youth Banks are managed and run.

It is more than just a way of giving out grants – it is about supporting and training young people to enable them, through grantmaking and related activity, to benefit other young people and the community, as well as themselves. Youth Bank builds on young people’s skills and experiences to enable them to reach their full potential and to play a full part in their own communities. If you live in West Middlesbrough and have an idea for the Youth Bank, get in touch! 
 

Junior Street Wardens Project
We will soon be recruiting young people to take part in a Junior Street Wardens Project. The Aims of the project will enable young people to participate with street wardens within their local community to:

• Promote a positive image of young people in the community
• Break down barriers between adults and young people
• Help combat Anti-social behaviour
• Enable young people identify local issues and work towards providing solutions
• Make young people aware of their own personal safety
• To establish positive relationships with young people and street wardens

The project will foster greater respect and pride in the local area and encourage young people to take a greater responsibility within their own communities; it is about promoting positive ways to make their area a better place to live in.

To achieve these aims we will need to equip the young people with the relevant skills, knowledge and experience necessary to participate in the project. This will be achieved through an accredited personal development training course detailed below. It is also recognised that the adults participating with the young people will need appropriate training to enable them to interact and work alongside the young people.

Throughout the training young people will develop a number of skills including:

• Team Building
• Communication Skills
• Confidentiality
• Equal Opportunities
• Decision Making  

"You're Welcome" and Men's Health Network
Just 4 Youth is involving young people in the South Tees area in two new projects linked to health: "You're Welcome" is developing a participation toolkit to help health professionals working with young people, and for young people themselves to access health services.  The Mens Health Network project will seek the views of young people on what the main health issues are for young males aged 11 to 25, and what they would like a Young Men's Health Network to do for them as young people.

Newham Grange Farm project
This is a town wide project linked to the restoration of Newham Grange Farm. Young people will be involved in working on a bid to the Youth Capital Fund, to refurbish one building at the Farm as a Young Persons Training Centre. This will enable young people to get involved in training in agriculture and working with animals.

For more details on any of these projects, contact Abigail Fields on 230555.