SUMMER 2008

Sadly, last term saw the loss of our Youth Manager, Andrea, who has decided to move on to new challenges. She has done a fantastic job and we wish her luck in the future. After some initial settling issues with the young people, I am really proud of the way they have adjusted and taken their Youth Group forward. We are currently lookin to recruit a new Youth Leader so if anyone is interested please let us know.

During half term we had a fun trip to Alton Towers for three days. The weather was kind to us, our members behaved really well and all the staff felt it was one of our most successful residential trips.

Plans for the summer holidays include 2 days at
Hillingdon Outdoor Activity Centre and a four day
residential to the Avon Tyrell Activity Centre in
the New Forest.

 

 

 

 

 

Congratulations to Matt Wiggins who is our first recipient of the Jack Petchey Achievement Award! Through the scheme KCC members are awarded £300 every quarter to spend on Youth Group; the first one for yoga is booked for 26th June.

Julie (Centre Director)

 

 

Kids Can Crew Newsletter SPRING 2008

Youth Group has welcomed some new members over the last few months and they are enjoying their new environment and having a lot of fun. Three young people have started their training as volunteers, which includes attending a training course for youth work and other courses to assist their development as well as the training and experience they get at Kids Can Crew.

Two sessions stood out over the last few months. Following a very successful theatre trip to see Stomp last term, Emma Lawless (youth worker) arranged a Stomp night for the group. The hall was alive with the sound of household equipment being used to create masterpieces of rhythm and music. The group had so much fun and were very creative and artistic in the way they made sound and music.

We also had a visit from the community police this month. They spoke to our young people about what it is like to be a police officer on the streets and our young people gave them an insight into the way they are treated and how their conditions are misunderstood by the police.

The session was very informative and a lot of fun. I would like to say a big thank you to our volunteer Daniella Zenga and her colleagues for making the evening very rewarding for our young people.

Daniella had created the programme based on real life situations they have to deal with on a daily basis. Our members played the roles of the police officers and the police role played being our young people with ADHD, Aspergers, autism or similar conditions/behaviours. This was followed by a frank and open discussion and problem solving session. We finished with a ‘hyperactive’ activity for the police to see how much energy our young people have.

To say the officers were exhausted by the end is an understatement. Although they were battered and bruised, they all said what a fantastic night they’d had and how much they had learnt from the group. They want to pass this knowledge on to their colleagues and encourage them to do another session with them in the summer. Our young people felt some of their faith in the police had been restored and they would love a chance to work with them again.

It was nice to see our young people enjoying themselves in the February holiday scheme. We made ground rules and boundaries for the youth group to hang up at the school, badges, sports and team games and activities, swimming at Hatch End Swimming Baths, Swimming, ice skating and bowling at Hemel Hempstead Aquasplash and the cinema with film s of their choice.
Some of our members said how good it was to get out and have some fun without people shouting at them and also having the freedom to do what they wanted to do and not be restricted.
I would like to say a big thank you to all the staff, volunteers and young people for putting in the time and effort it takes to put these programmes together and look forward to working with you all again in the next few months.

Andrea, Youth Coordinator