Walsingham Youth

The County Youth Service are currently running a detached youth project in Walsingham on behalf of WAP. The focus of the work will initially be to build positive relationships with young people in Walsingham, and to particularly work with the group of young people identified as at risk of becoming involved in, or already involved in (low-level) anti-social behaviour. This project will continue until Nov 2009 and WAP will be monitoring activity and supporting community volunteers throughout this time. The project is designed to:

• Provide a safe, stimulating and inspiring place for young people to meet, share goals and develop in themselves
• Reduce anti social behaviour and reported crime
• Increase the positive image of young people in the village through projects that support the community
• Train young people as mentors
• Create a pool of volunteers from the community that support the project
• Create and evidence base for longer term funding and sustainability

PROGRESS SO FAR...........

Two detached youth workers started spending time with young people in Walsingham every Wednesday night from 12th November 08 and now between 15 and 25 young people regularly meet with youth workers Eve and Glynis each week. The project is going really well and everyone involved in the project -Norfolk Youth Service, WAP, Wells Safer Neighbourhood Team and community volunteers are starting to see some positive results and a reduction in Anti Social behaviour incidents. We have securred funding for this outreach Youth Work to continue until March 2011.

As expected the young people come and go, but we have successfully covered different topics with them, including personal hygiene, sex education and organised 3 fund raising events now where the young people clearly come into their element.

The working towards turing the pavilion into a youth shelter was stopped after it WAP had successfully securred a free £9500 youth shelter from Victory Housing, so we are now looking at alternative users for the building and the space. We managed to tie CATS into Walsingham with the organisation of community events and the young people will be rewarded with a sporting activity of their choice.