Agenda item

(Delegates – Lauran Sharp (North School Ashford) and Stacie Stephens (Home tutored- Dover) supported by -  Claire Trainor, Youth Participation Co-ordinator, Kent Youth Service, participated in the discussion on this item).

 

Introductions

 

Lauran Sharp – 14 years old - works with young and disabled children in Ashford Youth Centre and has been accepted to work in a nursery for children 2 – 5 years old.

 

Stacie Stephens – Dover – 15 years old - works in a café  

 

Q1 - What activities outside of teaching time (extended services) do your schools provide to students and to the local community (for example, sports facilities, IT facilities, courses, clubs?)  Who provides and who runs these activities?

 

• Lauran – we have a lady called Jenny who comes into the youth centre three times a week and takes us to play sports.  She is always there for us.  We also get tips on how to live healthily.  There are a range of activities for example on Tuesdays – boys have football and girls – netball and then boy and girl mixed sports. 
• Stacie – we have street dancing for 5 – 11 year old on Thursday and on Fridays for 11 – 19.  There are gardening clubs for younger children at Primary school my Mum helps with it.  There are also football activities run by Charlton Athletic.

 

Q2 – Stacie as you are home tutored how do you access extended services?

 

·        I go along with a group of friends who attend school, I ask if I can attend and am allowed go with a group of feinds and ask and are allowed as long as follow rules

 

Q3 - In your view, how beneficial are extended services? Do you think that the provision of extended services helps improve educational attainment?

 

·        It me to learn new skills and meet new people.  Also increases self confidence

·        Though working with the disabled and get a lot of respect and have gained a lot of confidence. It also helps me to learn new skills for example I have got a 20 month old young brother, youth club and mum helped me to know what to do.  So when I chose my year 10 options I selected child care, it helped me to lean in two different places , school and youth club.

 

Q4 – As you are home tutored how do you find friends?

 

• I used to go to Aster college and my friends still go there, I met up with them after school.

 

Q5 - Do schools in area tell young people about the youth centre

 

• We had posters put up at school around saying what the youth centre offers.

 

Q6 - Are there any groups of students and people in the local community who, in your view, find it particularly difficult to access these extended services?  If so, what can be done to help them access these services?

 

• You could advertise it a bit more in leaflets and on posters also could use Facebook

 

Q7 –What we have heard at meetings is that extended services in Dover are one of the best  - how does this ideal system in Dover actually works for you Stacey – is it the contact points the problem?

 

• It is held at the Community Centre at end of my road so I get to hear about it but if activities are held in the school I only hear about them via friends.

 

Q8 - What do you think could be done to give you a bit more “me time”

 

• more choice about what is going on 

 

Q9 - Do you use Facebook?

 

• Yes I have my own group on there because I am in a band and I sing

 

Q10 – We know that there are going to be huge budget cuts – do you have any ideas how keep services going?

 

• Fund raising by people using the services
• Ask parents to help out

 

Q11 – Do adults use your school building for some kinds of services and does this cause any problems– any problems?

 

• North School, Ashford - we have got new buildings – as we are a sports college we have got fantastic facilities to hire out including an astro turf pitch and a climbing wall.   We also hire out our school hall.

 

• I am aware that adults use the school facilities at Aster School – now aware of adults using the school facilites.

 

Q12 - You seem happy with facilities - are there other young people who would like other things?

 

• A lot of what is going on is spaced out it could be put together more.  Once a week we have football and street dance, it is boring when these are not on they should be held more frequently.   There should be more types of dancing – we only have street dance and not every one likes it, some may wish to do Ball Room dancing.    (Stacie)

 

Q13 – would you and friends feel confident in going to people who run community centre and putting forward your ideas?

 

• Yes I would feel ok to talk to the people who run the community centre.

 

Q14 – if had to pay would you value it more and be more likely to attend?

 

• If you pay for something you are more likely to stick with it.
• At youth club we pay a £1 a week and use facilities and pay for snacks.

 

Q15 – There appears to be a very good youth club (Ashford ) Dover not – but have a community centre – say to people who run it what can be put on – join in  a lot more if more on offer.

 

• yes

 

Q16 – you have mentioned a great youth club and that you access activities via the schools – have you or friends found it hard to access activities ?

 

• no

 

Questions to Claire Trainor

 

Q20 – Is there anything that you would like to draw the Committee attention to?

 

• An issue transport home after activities especially in rural areas. Young people are often not able to go to after school activities as they are not able to get home afterwards. There is also the issue of transport for disabled young people, they may get a taxi to school but are no able to stay to after school activities as they have no means of getting home.

 

Q21 – As funding is reduced is there a dynamism  in the youth service to assist young people to self help and organise them things themselves?

 

• Yes – If schools and youth service link up and volunteer out them and link into BSU – to provide support for willing young people.  You could have one worker linking a number of young people.

 

• There are areas additional support needed is needed for example Dover, it is an area where it is difficult to get people involved, therefore more support is needed and to generate awareness of what is available.  In Ashford for Lauran it is a different experience the school and youth club are involved and the activities are widely used. 

 

The Committee thanked Lauran, Stacie and Claire for their very interesting and helpful contributions.