A new report exploring how youth work responded to the needs of young people during the Covid-19 pandemic reveals the importance of youth work’s role in closing the attainment gap going forward.
The report identified that disruption to youth work services exacerbated the impact of the pandemic on young people’s learning, achievement and wellbeing.
The youth work sector’s ability to adapt to changing guidelines to create new safe spaces had an overwhelmingly positive influence on young people’s resilience during the pandemic, with 83% of young people reporting that youth work had been important or very important to them over the past year.
A number of community centres will be providing a variety of children, youth and adult work next week as part of a phased approach by the City of Edinburgh Council to opening up more public services.
The centres at Jack Kane, South Bridge, Royston Wardieburn, Ratho, Clovenstone, Pentland and Goodtrees will be open in a limited way from Monday 12 July.
More community centres will have limited opening over the coming weeks as management committees liaise with the Council over what services can be provided in line with the latest health advice.
Up to now community centres had only been accessed to support essential services such as food poverty programmes, support for vulnerable groups and regulated childcare. From Monday there will be access for key youth groups and other children and adult activities.
The activities being provided are in addition to the Get into Summer programme of events which aims to children and their families to play, socialise and re-connect over the summer holidays.
Councillor Donald Wilson, Culture and Communities Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “It’s absolutely vital for our citizens that our community centres are able to welcome them back as soon as possible so it’s welcome that we’ve been able to accelerate their opening.
“They’re a focal hub for our communities and you can’t underestimate the positive effect they have on people of all ages who benefit enormously from using them.”
Councillor Amy McNeese-Mechan, Culture and Communities Vice Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “I’m sure people will be pleased to hear that essential services such as youth work along with other activities will soon be resuming in our community centres.
“These buildings are much-loved local spaces, like our libraries and sports venues, and the important role they will play in the city’s recovery from the pandemic is immeasurable.”
Children and young people are getting geared up for a summer of fun as an exciting programme of activities is being delivered by over 100 Council services and partner organisations across the Capital.
The Get into Summer initiative is part of a nationwide scheme funded by the Scottish Government to create a variety of opportunities for children and their families to play, socialise and re-connect over the summer.
The activities will build on the regular summer programmes put on by the City of Edinburgh Council and partners and are taking place in communities across the city. They will help children and young people to get healthy, creative and most importantly, re-connect with each other after a disrupted school year caused by the pandemic.
A key focus of the programme will be activities targeted to those families from low income households who may otherwise struggle to access such experiences during the holidays. The overall programme has a focus on opportunities for youth and children’s work, very young children and their families, with opportunities for sport, outdoor, art and cultural activities.
Some of the partner organisations putting on events and providing support include: 6VT Edinburgh City Youth Café, Disability Services, Intercultural Youth Scotland, Edinburgh Young Carers, Lochend Football Academy, National Galleries of Scotland, Play2Learn Sports Coaching and Shakti Women’s Aid.
Fet Lor Summer Programme
Councillor Ian Perry, Convener for Education, Children and Families at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “We know how much our children and young people have had their year disrupted by the pandemic and our ‘Get into Summer’ programme aims to bring as many of them together as possible to play and socialise over the holidays.
“There really is something for everyone with activities ranging from sports coaching to museum trips and music workshops with many additional activities on top of what we usually offer during the summer. We want to do all we can to support our children, young people, their families and carers so they can enjoy the summer.
“This programme is a great way to do that. Thanks must go to the different Council teams and partner organisations across the city who have pulled together to put on such a great programme of activities.”
MYDG Summer Programme
Councillor Alison Dickie, Vice Convener for Education, Children and Families at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “We have listened to our young people who have told us about the impact of lockdown on their mental health and wellbeing as a result of the pandemic so these activities are a first step to help them re-connect with their friends and interests over the summer.
“They and their families are showing great resilience but no one should underestimate the huge impact the pandemic is having with many of the activities and support usually open to them not yet available. This must change.
“Many families on low income struggle during the summer holidays so this targeted offer is a positive step forward and will boost opportunities for those who have faced the greatest challenges in the past 15 months. This programme has children’s rights and needs at its heart.”
Dot Horne, Director of 6VT Edinburgh City Youth Café, said: “Get into Summer is a much-needed support for children and young people. During this pandemic so many young people have been adversely affected, isolated and missed out on essential life skills they would have learnt as they progressed through “normal” experiences.
“We’ve seen an increasing number of young people coming forward who are lacking things like self-confidence, coping skills, feeling socially anxious , lonely or unhappy. At 6VT we are offering teenagers a dynamic and active programme of activities where they will be supported to improve their wellbeing, experience new activities and learn how to build respectful relationships with others.
“We are striving for a lot of fun and laughter with the overall impact of improving happiness. We encourage parents to support their children and young people to engage into Get into Summer activities.”
FETLOR Youth Club has appointed a director to deepen the work the charity does to support young people. Richie Adams joins the Club with a wealth of leadership experience and a passion to support young people, helping them achieve their potential.
Dr Adams describes his appointment to the north Edinburgh charity as a ‘homecoming’, giving back to the community he has served across his career.
Having worked as a community police officer in Drylaw, Muirhouse and Pilton, he knows the north Edinburgh community well.
Richie’s passion for supporting the vulnerable is also evident through his voluntary work as chair of Edinburgh Community Food.
Richie retired from the Police Scotland as a superintendent having served in both Edinburgh and Glasgow and has led a number of significant strategic projects for policing.
He comes to FetLor following a successful term as Director of Education in the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service.
Andrew Barrie, FetLor’s chairman, said: “Richie’s appointment marks a real milestone for FetLor, at a time when young people need the charity’s services more than ever.
“The impact of the pandemic on young people has been profound. Richie is now working hard to get our resources to where young people need us most.
“It’s important that we develop partnerships across youth work in north Edinburgh and Richie is seeking to strengthen links with existing partners and forge new associations so we can reach the young people who really need us.
“Richie’s wealth of experience will drive this work forward. His collaborative approach will help build FetLor’s team so that we can continue to foster an environment where young people can build their confidence and go on to lead fulfilling lives.”
Prior to the pandemic, FetLor Youth Club was able to provide space for over 400 young people in the north of Edinburgh to feel safe, empowered and listened to.
The current restrictions have forced the Club’s youth outreach to be brought online.
Staff are continuing to work hard to ensure its children and young people are supported.
Work is also ongoing to make sure the charity can open the doors of its building on Crewe Road South as soon as possible.
Richie (51), said: “I’m really excited and proud to join the dedicated team at FetLor at this crucial time.
“FetLor has a long history of doing exceptional work to support young people in the north of Edinburgh. At this time, its services are needed more than ever.
“Many young people feel their mental health has suffered during lockdown and others have disengaged from school. At FetLor we are working hard to support our young people during these difficult times.
“We have partnered with a local school to support children who have become disengaged. Our youth team is also hosting regular one to one Zoom calls with a number of young people, helping them get through these most challenging of times.
“As we look towards delivering our service in a post Covid environment there will be much to do. We are looking forward to working with partners and to the community to work out how best to serve our young people as restrictions lift.”
Scotland’s youth work sector could miss out on more than £1 million of annual European funding due to Brexit.
That’s the amount of support currently received every year by the sector from the Erasmus+ international exchange programme, Scotland’s participation in which is now in jeopardy with less than a month to go until the end of the transition period.
The Scottish Government has sought repeated assurance that the UK Government will prioritise continued association to the programme, and, if the UK Government fails in its negotiations to secure access, that any replacement scheme will provide funding on a par with the amounts historically secured under Erasmus+ and that all those who currently benefit from the programme will be supported.
Further and Higher Education Minister Richard Lochhead has highlighted the urgency of a decision between Devolved Administration counterparts and Michelle Donelan, UK Minister of State for Universities.
Mr Lochhead said: “Scotland’s vibrant youth work sector supports children and young people’s well-being and helps close the attainment gap. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic we have seen the sector rise to the challenge of providing services remotely, supporting some of our most vulnerable young people.
“If, as we expect, EU funding for youth work projects and youth exchanges are no longer available to the Scottish sector, the contribution of youth work to enhancing young people’s capacity for social and cultural connectedness and for understanding and accepting difference could be clearly impacted.
“I was fortunate enough to see the benefits of Erasmus+ first hand earlier this year, when I visited the Royston Youth Action project in the north of Glasgow.
“The impact of participating in international exchanges with young people from Estonia, Finland and Austria had been life-changing for them. Some of the young people had never had a passport, let alone the opportunity to travel abroad before. The Erasmus exchange experience has resulted in a lasting partnership between the participants which endures to this day.
“Research shows those in Scotland with fewer opportunities participating in Erasmus+ report a significantly higher effect when compared with young people who face fewer barriers. And those who study or train abroad are twice as likely to find employment quickly. Losing out to Erasmus+ would be a significant blow to many, and not just financially.”
One of Scotland’s major recipients of Erasmus+ support has been YouthLink Scotland, the national agency for youth work.
YouthLink CEO Tim Frew said: “It is disappointing to see no money for youth work has been allocated to the UK Spending Review, in terms of any potential domestic alternative to the Erasmus+ programme. We hope this is not a signal from the UK Government that these opportunities for some of our most disadvantaged young people are to end.
“Erasmus+ has provided significant transformative and life-changing opportunities for young people, many of whom are furthest away from mainstream opportunities. Whether it’s employability programmes, work on gender-based violence or environmental sustainability, the opportunity to visit, work with and learn from our European counterparts cannot be underestimated.
“We would like to see the Prime Minister make a commitment to the continuation of Erasmus+, a programme that already involves non-EU members, including Iceland and Norway. If youth work participation in either Erasmus+ or any domestic alternative, is no longer open to us, these opportunities will be lost for young people for generations to come.”
The Erasmus+ programme facilitates the mobility of individuals across Europe, be that for learning, teaching, or working, by financing individual exchanges from higher education, adult education, vocational education and training, youth work, schools and sport.
Scotland attracts proportionally more Erasmus+ participants from across Europe – and sends more in the other direction – than any other country in the UK.
Between 2014 and 2018 Scottish institutions and organisations secured more than 90 million euros in Erasmus+ funding with more than 80 youth work projects benefitting from around £4.4 million. With the sector estimated to deliver at least £7 in value for every £1 it costs in public cash, its value to the economy has been estimated to be worth nearly £34 million since 2014.
Recently the European Commission confirmed a 60% increase to the programme’s budget, which is now sitting at over 23 billion euros.
Scottish Government funding for youth work is being increased more than 30% this year to recognise the vital role the sector will play in making up any ground lost in learning during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
A newly created £3 million Youth Work Education Recovery Fund – administered by YouthLink Scotland – is being targeted at those communities and young people who need the most support, bringing Government spending in the youth work sector this year to at least £12.5 million.
Recent findings show three-quarters of Scottish students who take part in Erasmus+ receive a first- or upper second-class degree, compared with 60% of those who did not study or train abroad.
Students who did an Erasmus placement are 50% less likely to experience long-term unemployment, and participants in vocational education and training have a higher employment rate (81% vs 68%) three years after the end of their stay abroad.
Commissioned by YouthLink Scotland, Hall Aitken (2016) estimated the social return on investment in youth work contributes between £656 million and £2 billion to the Scottish economy every year and shows a return of £7 for every £1 of public cash.
A fund to help residential outdoor education centres mitigate the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis has openeds for applications.
Centres which are facing financial challenges can apply for funds to help with running costs and to enable staff to deliver outdoor learning in and around schools.
Science Minister Richard Lochhead said: “Residential outdoor education centres are facing severe challenges. As well as providing much-needed support, this fund will mean pupils can continue to benefit from outdoor learning, which is an important aspect of Scotland’s curriculum and can play a vital role in supporting children’s wellbeing and attainment.
“I hope this funding, along with third sector and youth work funding streams which are already available, alleviates some of the pressures and allows centres to offer meaningful experiences to young people.
“Funding on its own will not address all of the challenges facing the sector. We will continue to engage with local authorities to support the important role that outdoor education centres and their staff can play during the period when overnight residential stays are not permitted for public health reasons.”
To coincide with the opening of the support fund, Mr Lochhead has written to local authority directors of education, inviting them to share new advice and support materials for schools as they work with centres in the coming months.
Martin Davidson, of the Outward Bound Trust and #SaveYourOutdoorCentres Campaign, said: “Outdoor education centres welcome the COVID-19 Residential Outdoor Education Centre Support Fund, which will provide vital support during these financially extremely challenging times.
“Supporting fixed facility costs, the fund will ensure that many centres that would have closed permanently are still available for the benefit of future generations of young people.
“In addition, in the short term, the fund will also support outdoor centre instructors to work with young people in schools and local communities, meeting their significant emotional and social needs at this time of unprecedented uncertainty in their lives.”
The fund will be administered by the charity YouthLink Scotland. Applications for essential running costs are invited between 23 November, and 11 December 2020. Applications for funding to support outdoor learning in and around schools are invited between 11 Jan 2021 and 5 Feb 2021.
YouthLink Scotland CEO Tim Frew said: “We welcome the launch of this fund. It will be crucial to the future of our outdoor residential centres, which are a key part of the fabric of Scotland’s wider education system, including youth work. Access to these opportunities is an important part of education recovery as we move through and past the pandemic.
“Outdoor learning contributes to young people’s health and wellbeing and builds essential life and work skills, while connecting them in a special way to their immediate environment and to the wider world and its issues. The value of outdoor learning cannot be underestimated – so it is critical that we ensure the survival of our outdoor centres.”
Details about the fund and how to apply can be found here
Youth work can restart in Edinburgh community centres following an agreement reached by Councillors yesterday.
The City of Edinburgh Council approved the Community Centres and Libraries Reopening (update) report which recommended allowing community centres to apply for permission to reopen for indoor youth work as long as they can provide assurances they will be following national guidance to keep everyone safe.
The youth work that can be carried out is targeted as defined by Youth Scotland which is limited to small numbers of vulnerable young people.
Up to now their management committees could ask permission to open their buildings for essential voluntary or urgent public support services such as food banks, homeless services, blood donation sessions, regulated childcare or access to retrieve equipment for outdoor youth work.
Today’s decision means community centres can reopen for youth work through agreement with the Council who have already written to all the management committees to gauge the level of interest in restarting youth work indoors.
Eleven of the 35 management committees have replied looking at gaining access to provide some children services and or youthwork – ranging from one session a week up to several sessions for different groups.
The Council has also asked the management committees what support they may need and assurances that they are confident they can reopen in line with the latest Scottish Government guidance.
The Council’s ambition is to have a planned, phased reopening of libraries and community centres for the wider public as part of Phase 4 of the Scottish Government’s Scotland’s route map through and out of the crisis – subject to public health guidance and the capacity to support the safe use of the buildings.
As part of this Councillors also discussed plans to reopen more libraries in the coming weeks building on the success of the six venues that reopened last month – Kirkliston, Newington, Fountainbridge, McDonald Road, Stockbridge and Central.
As part of the next phased reopening four more buildings – Wester Hailes, Craigmillar, Gilmerton and Drumbrae – would aim to open their doors in the coming weeks.
Council Leader Adam McVey said: “It’s really important we do everything we can to support our young people in these challenging times and youth work is a key element of this.
“I’m pleased we’ve now seen substantial progress to support and enable specific community centres to reopen and the agreed process will see further community centres open up their buildings for this vital service.
“As always our top priority is the health of our citizens so we have to make sure the buildings are safe to reopen. We’ll work with management committees to help them meet national guidance, such as increased cleaning measures to keep everyone safe and prevent spread of infection.”
Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “There’s already a range of youth work services being provided by both the Council and our third sector partners across the city but opening up our community centres allows more of our young people to access these important facilities.
“We know how much young people benefit from the stability and normality youth work provides so I’m sure they will be pleased at today’s decision. We really appreciate everyone’ support and patience as we gradually reopen our services – it’s really important to make sure what is being provided continues to keep our young people as safe as possible.”
New research published today shows youth work makes a significant impact on young people’s skills, confidence, wellbeing and access to opportunities.
The Impact of Community-Based Universal Youth Work in Edinburgh study worked with youth groups from across Edinburgh to identify the key elements of youth work which helped young people achieve positive changes in their lives.
A research partnership between YouthLink Scotland, Edinburgh University, Northern Star and Lothian Association of Youth Clubs, collected ‘significant change stories’ from almost 100 young people from nine voluntary youth work organisations working with Edinburgh youngsters.
The research showed that young people who had engaged with youth work services learnt new skills and behaviours, became more confident, made new friends, developed positive and supportive relationships with their youth workers, and significantly improved their wellbeing.
Almost three-quarters of the young people taking part in the research said that youth work had given them skills for life, while 80% benefited from improved confidence. Just under a third of participants also reported feeling better equipped to vocalise thoughts and emotions they were experiencing, all of which feed into an improved sense of mental and physical wellbeing among young people.
The research analysed testimonies from both the 96 young people and the youth workers they engaged with, giving a context for how each participant had developed over a number of years.
One participant, aged 17, said: “When I started here, I was at CAMHS every day for my anxiety and depression. I didn’t really have any friends or anything that I enjoyed doing.
“I was very suicidal but coming here has made me decide to keep going when I’m at my lowest … I know I wouldn’t have the strength I do today if I had never started coming along.”
Dr Amy Calder, YouthLink Scotland’s Senior Policy and Research Officer and part of the research team, said: “Youth work has an important role in increasing young people’s skills and confidence, by providing opportunities and, building and maintaining positive, respectful relationships.
“Youth workers in Edinburgh provide a key and crucial service for local young people. It offers them a safe and welcoming space where they are encouraged to have fun and challenge themselves.”
Dr Ian Fyfe of the University of Edinburgh commented: “The experiences and behaviour of young people has been front and centre in media coverage of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
“We’ve witnessed outpourings of genuine public and political concern for the impact of the current situation on young people’s education, employment prospects and above all their wellbeing.
“A consistent picture has emerged from this data, and our other two Scottish studies, confirming the key role youth work plays in building young people’s confidence and supporting them to develop essential life skills.
“The consistent findings of the research also point to the importance of youth work as an informal educational practice setting that offers a safe place for young people to meet and reflect on issues important in their lives.”
Laurene Edgar, Lothian Association of Youth Clubs added: “This research not only reinforces to voluntary youth work organisations in Edinburgh the impact of services provided for young people, but it will be used with a variety of stakeholders to demonstrate why community-based youth work needs continued investment for prevention and early intervention.”
Young people are being reduced to meeting under gazebos and tarpaulins to access vital local services as a new survey reveals a lack of facilities threatens to keep youth work out in the cold this winter.
YouthLink Scotland, Scotland’s National Youth Work Agency, released the latest results of a two-month survey of the youth work sector’s access to facilities, which painted a picture of youth work organisations up and down the country struggling to find appropriate indoor spaces due to confusion over lockdown restrictions.
It has now issued a call for national and local leadership to help the sector overcome the barriers to youth work resuming, with YouthLink CEO Tim Frew warning that a lack of access to facilities threatens to leave young people in Scotland without vital support.
The calls are backed by Scotland’s Children and Young People’s Commissioner and See Me, the national mental health charity.
The results show an extremely concerning situation for young people involved in youth work, in particular vulnerable youngsters who rely on that support.
While some youth work organisations had previously been able to offer limited services in public spaces such as cafés, youth workers voiced concerns that even this offers little privacy for vulnerable young people who need intensive support.
Lack of access to appropriate facilities has left many youth work organisations unable to return to face-to-face indoor youth work. Over 50% of council youth work services have not been able to resume, and this rises to over 80% for national voluntary organisations like Scouts, and local voluntary youth work projects across the country.
The survey also revealed that over three-quarters of youth work organisations still have no access to any school facilities, while around 95% remain locked out of local leisure centre facilities.
This is despite Scottish Government guidance enabling indoor face-to-face youth work to resume from 31st August.
The agency says it is not acceptable to leave many vulnerable young people without access to vital support at a time when youth work is needed more than ever, as we face an increasing youth mental health crisis as a result of the ongoing pandemic.
The situation has meant that youth workers are having to deliver services in parks, school grounds, on the streets, using tents, gazebos and tarpaulins for shelter as it gets colder.
It’s clear that although youth work organisations have the necessary risk assessments for practice in place, access to buildings and facilities is still being restricted or denied. Guidance is being interpreted differently in local areas.
Commenting on the findings of the latest survey, Tim Frew, CEO, YouthLink Scotland, the national agency for youth work, said: “We need to move forward and ensure that access to facilities for youth work increases.
“From our survey we can see that almost all youth organisations responsible for facilities have completed risk assessments. Detailed guidance for school facilities and for outdoor centres has been developed.
“For centres where youth work is the tenant and not the landlord we need to understand what the barriers are to their re-opening.
“If the issue is guidance from the Scottish Government on the use of Community Centres, we know that this is in development and is needed urgently. If the issue is more about the cost then we need to ensure that extra funds are found, as we cannot allow for young people to be prevented from accessing youth work when they need it now more an ever.”
Gina Wilson, Head of Strategy for the Children and Young People’s Commissioner said: “Youth workers play a significant role in ensuring children and young people can access their rights to good mental and physical health as well as their educational, social and recreational rights.
“The pandemic has highlighted and further entrenched existing inequalities and providing vital youth work services over the coming winter months and beyond must be a priority to ensure children and young people’s rights are protected and promoted.”
Wendy Halliday, director of mental health charity, See Me said: “At See Me, youth work has been vital in allowing us to tackle the stigma and discrimination that young people can face when they’re struggling with their mental health.
“Youth work provides a platform for young people to speak out about mental health to other young people and to the adults in their lives, while also getting help and support for themselves.
“Through this pandemic more young people than ever are struggling with their mental health and to help those young people it is essential that youth work can resume in a safe way. We know that youth work is key to reaching and engaging young people that can be missed by other services and forms of support, while also connecting young people who can feel alone and isolated.”
Councillor Stephen McCabe, Cosla’s children and young people spokesman, said: “Sadly there is no denying that these are difficult times and we are dealing with an issue the likes of which we have never seen before.
“Councils have an extremely difficult balancing act between supporting local services, their responsibilities as employers and adhering to local restrictions, however, above all else the health and safety of everyone remains our number one priority.
“The best way to get through this is by a collective push and working in partnership both locally and nationally.
“That is what we are committed to continuing to do and why we would be happy to work with YouthLink, Scottish Government and others to find solutions.
“The seriousness of this situation, the speed at which things can change and the pressure on councils are all very real.“
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We recognise the valuable role that the youth work sector has to play in supporting the health and wellbeing of young people in Scotland.
“We are investing £3 million through the Youth Work Education Recovery Fund to ensure youth work services are supported to deliver vital interventions to young people across Scotland.
“Community centre opening guidance is being developed with input from a number of key stakeholders, including YouthLink Scotland.
“Local authorities have responsibility for their buildings, including community centres, and make decisions over what activities can take place in them.”
COMMENTS FROM SURVEY RESPONDENTS:
“Safe and supportive conversations with young people on their own who are grieving, and exploring coping strategies, need to be carried out in a safe, nurturing space and not in the public domain of outdoor pitches or fast-food eateries.”
“Blanket bans on lets for Council-owned properties such as school lets but also some community halls. Groups are responding by only meeting outside or online but this issue will grow as we approach colder and darker evenings after October half term.”
“Outdoor group work has been possible, but with reduced light and poor climate, it is challenging. Youth workers are seeking spaces in coffee shops, supermarkets, and car parks to be able to have shelter/conversations with young people for support and meetings on projects. The digital challenges continue and return to face-to-face is what young people are requesting.”
“Unfortunately we are not providing any youth work at the moment (indoors or outdoors) as we do not have access to any spaces that are classed as safe. The restrictions mean that we can’t host the number of young people we used to and as such the service is struggling to organise youth work opportunities for young people in our area.”
“We remain frustrated at not being able to use our youth centres for indoor youth work. Our local Recovery Group initially granted us access to resume indoor youth groups but have since withdrawn that permission. We are unable to operate school-based youth groups as we don’t have access to school lets in the evening and after school. Only school groups are using our youth centre on a few hours per day.”
“I feel that fear has caused a blanket ban on all group meetings instead of allowing choice and thinking about the needs and capabilities of different groups. All our local Girlguiding units are affected in the same way as we all meet in a hall or community centre.”
“Barriers accessing schools to provide informal learning. Community centres still not opened and youth centres the same. All of our work is still digital. Real want from youth workers to get back to work but no physical spaces to do this.”
“Our group has to rehearse outside in the back playground of our usual venue. The back of the hub is covered in glass from broken alcohol bottles and is clearly a ‘den’ for some. We have to sweep the ground every week and risk assess to ensure the area is safe. There is no sufficient lighting, which is going to pose a major problem when the darker night come in! The area is an old school shed that is no longer in use – there is an old couch and rubbish dumped and it smells of urine! The young people I work with are happy to be together again but it poses a challenge – drama is an activity that requires a space that is safe for them to explore ideas and develop confidence.”
