Hub updates

Bromsgrove Youth and Community Hub

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2022 Hub Services

Some services we provide:

Social groups

-We arrange youth clubs at The Hub and other venues in Bromsgrove.

-These are for young people aged 11-19.

-Activities such as music, art, gaming, cooking etc.

-School holiday provision and activities in Bromsgrove.

-Call us for more information as these groups are always popping up.

Outdoors

-We have youth workers who go out and do ‘detached’ youth work, walking around Bromsgrove and chatting to young people.

-If you see us out please say hi.

-We go to town, Charford, Sidemoor, Catshill, Aston Fields and other areas.

-Outreach, sometimes we do outdoor projects for example litter picking, football at the park.

-We attend local community events, if you see ‘The Hub’ at an event please come and say hi.

-Get in touch if you’d like to know more about detached, outreach or community events.

Support

-Mentoring for young people one-to-one with a youth worker or in a small group.

-Groups about topics that matter to young people, inside school or at The Hub/another youth club in your area.

-Support with things like sexual health, mental health, substance use, identity, bullying, identity, discrimination.

-LGBTQ+ support group.

-Free contraception.

-Free drinks and snacks, cooking sessions and food to take home if you need some.

-Free period products and other personal care products.  

What is youth work?

-Advocacy.

-Someone to talk to.

-A safe space.

-Non-judgemental.

-Support.

-Optional, you can always opt out.

-For young people, everything we do is planned by young people/asked for by young people.

-We have a Youth Council who meet often to discuss a lot of issues, plans and events in Bromsgrove.

The Bromsgrove Youth and Community Hub has been operational for over a year and there has been rapid expansion of the activities that the Hub has offered and the number of young people attending. The Hub Coordinator working with partners has made a major impact on improving children’s lives but also in achieving the objectives, we set ourselves nearly two years ago.

The Hub has proved that by offering a wide range of services and activities diverts young people from crime and anti-social behavior and makes a positive contribution to their community. This issue has been discussed in partnerships including the Community Well Being Group Theme Group and the Town Centre Group. Our three-year plan offers a positive model of engagement and participation and develops young people as assets to their local community. During the next phase of its development, we want to get more young people engaged in a wider variety of activities, which they have told us that they want to do.

The Bromsgrove Hub is unique in the town as place to meet for young people. The town centre is dominated by commercial premises most of which are not designed as places for young people to meet and socialise together.  If young people are to feel they are a part of the Bromsgrove community and want to stay, live and work in the town; more activities need to be offered from the Hub. 

Outcomes

1. Reduced numbers of young people reported to be engaged in anti-social behaviour.
2. Young people display improved understanding and resilience in dealing with mental health issues, drug and alcohol use and sexual relationships.
3. Young people show improved levels of educational attainment/job skills/life skills.
4. Young people have an increased awareness of support and services available to them to prevent those becoming victims of crime.

Reduced number of young people reporting social isolation and experience improved mental health well-being.

Outputs

1. Number of young people engaged in activities
2. Number of young people with disabilities included in projects
3. Number of young people involved in ASB
4. Number of ex-offenders engaged for 3 months and 6 months
5. Young people engaged in volunteering
6. Number of young people engaged in physical, mental and spiritual well-being activities.

Young people of Bromsgrove said that their main concerns were the following:

• Someone to talk to confidentially about anything.
• Stress – mainly around school work and exams
• Homelessness
• Bullying
• The said that Instagram was the way to reach them and promote.
• The main suggested times to open the hub were- Saturday and Sunday afternoons / evenings.

The Hub Youth Council established in 2018 continues to be important in determining what happens at the Hub and most of the current provision reflects this. In 2019, the Hub participated in a youth loneliness project funded by the Coop Foundation.

They said that the main causes of youth loneliness are the lack of safe places to go and network with their friends. In addition, that social media use can isolate young people and is used as a way of bullying and isolating young people. They also said that issues to do with identity and pressure to conform to certain norms and trends affected their self-esteem. The impact of youth loneliness is that mental health and well-being are the most significant issue affecting their lives.

A recent survey (2019) of young people undertaken by Worcestershire County Council ‘Make Your Mark’ found that their main concerns are about mental health, knife crime and homelessness. This survey echoes the views of young people in Bromsgrove.

The project has brought many benefits for young people and their families. Our research indicates that there are issues facing young people including social and mental health and well-being. Having a place to meet and somewhere to go, close to the town centre will continue to have an impact on reducing anti-social behaviour and crime, but also improve how young people perceive and use the town centre. Offering them things to do and somewhere to go, young people will see visiting the town centre as a positive experience where they can seek entertainment and social activities and can mix safely with their peers.

Significant investment been made in refurbishing the basement of the Hub to create a safe and warm place for young people to meet and do activities. The Hub Youth and Community Hub Coordinator and her team of volunteers have had a significant impact attracting young people to the Hub and changing their lives.

The results of consultation however, provide evidence that there needs to be sustained action to support them.   

Throughout the year, there has been an increase in the activities offered to young people and the take up. The activities provided are in response to young people’s needs as identified by them. There is a group of volunteers who are assisting with the development of the Hub and their continued support has been invaluable. The Hub Coordinator has linked with other youth groups in the local area including in Sidemoor, Charford, Catshill and Rubery adding capacity to these areas. We have also hosted other projects such as job coaches managed by Bromsgrove District Housing Trust.