Agenda item

Paula Carter- Evreham Youth Club

Matthew Bell – GLL at Evreham Sports Centre

Laura Price – 1^st Iver Scouts

Mark Russell - Age UK

Dwayne McKenzie – Confidence Through Football

Paula – Trustee of Evreham (notes provided)

- Evreham Youth Centre – Paula Carter

• Trustee and Youth Worker for Iver Youth and Community Services (IYCS), a charity that runs Evreham Youth Centre. IYCS was founded in 2018 by trustees who wanted to provide a safe and fun place for children to hang out with their friends
• We run the youth club on Fridays from 6:30pm to 8:30pm for ages 11-14, and on Tuesdays for over 14's: there are various games, activities, and snacks for the children to enjoy
• We also have a proposal for an engagement programme with Mama Bee, which has three parts:

• A 30-week targeted youth project that covers three locations in Iver and Iver Heath
• A training provision for volunteers – Introduction to Youth Work
• Then some centre-based health and wellbeing youth development sessions.

·       Assertive Behaviours (Self-defence providing physical and emotional resilience for building healthy relationships)

·       Foodie Friday sessions - Children prepare food, cook, and learn about food (2-hour sessions and then eat together)

• Sunday session funded by Dwayne's M4S project for SENS children and parents: Support network, socialization, and fun activities for SENS families
• Possible Friday session for under 11's with enough volunteers – the aim is to foster friendships and social skills
• Phone cases on lanyards and no phone night to reduce technology dependence
• Vision to educate and empower children to cope with life challenges

Questions/Comments

• A local resident praised the Youth Club for its excellent management and lack of noise or trouble.
• Shaunagh Hall, a police sergeant from TVP, offered to provide sessions for the Youth Club if needed. AS to introduce.

Matthew Bell – GLL at Evreham Centre.

• Centre open: gym, sports hall, astroturf, drop-in sessions, dementia-friendly classes
• Local groups use the centre, and Evreham Sponsor support young athletes
• Activities for all ages

Questions/Comments

• Facebook presence: Yes, connect with Community Board and share content https://www.facebook.com/evrehamsportscentre
• No reciprocal deal with Slough pool: They are a different operator
• Dementia-friendly activities: must promote variety and avoid overlap of days. This supports carers too. Discounted services in carers months.
• Unauthorised parking issue: AS to contact enforcement team.
• Roller boots funding application for youth club: AS to explore options.
• GLL contract status: Up for renewal. Non-profit operator, Buckinghamshire Council decides.

Laura Price 1^st Iver Scout group and Tim L’angellier 1^st Iver Heath Scouts

• Beavers, cubs and scouts are run from the hut.
• The young people grow up and work their way through, become proud to represent the organisation, learn life skills and can become young leaders. Many have used the volunteering for Duke of Edinburgh award.
• No barriers to joining, no-one will be excluded from joining, and financial assistance can be provided. Approx. 200 families are involved in the Scout groups locally.
• Vulnerable youths are supported, and activities can be adapted to be accessible for everyone.
• Scouting gives back to the local community: there have been park events, providing cream teas, Beavers and Cubs carry out gardening work at local schools, and litter-picking activities.
• 1^st Iver Scout Hut is an important part of the local community, but the hut needs to be modernised: will be asking CB for approx. £13k contribution to refurbish the current toilet facilities. This requires walls to be moved, and quite a bit of work to make them suitable from a safeguarding point of view, and for them to be accessible.

Questions

• Opportunity for local trades to volunteer their time and add to the contributory funding in kind? Yes, already looking into this.
• Is there a Facebook page? Only a closed group for parents.
• And national funding available? Have received grants towards experiences and camps. There is no funding available from the Scouts association.
• Perhaps the Langley construction college could assist as they are often on the lookout to assist with local projects and provide experience for the students.
• Suggest to contact the Baker trust for funding.
• Would Bob-a-job week ever be reinstated? Unlikely, due to safeguarding issues.

A heartfelt thank you from the Community Board Chair for all of the work that is carried out with the local Youths. The Scout groups are very proactive and successful.

Mark Russell – Age UK (add handout slides)

Background with older people in Bucks

• Age UK are champions of older people: ¼ of Bucks workforce is over 55, with average age of councillor being 60.
• 1 in 6 older adults volunteer at least once a week: e.g. grandparents are childminders for their families
• Age UK are a Bucks independent charity with 35 staff. They work with approx. 4000 adults every year and at least 150 in Wexham and the Ivers
• Fundraising is generated locally, with some funding received from commissioned services
• Shadow of covid is still very much a problem having an impact on older people and preventing them from engaging with services and many still have a lack of contact with anyone.

• Cost of living has provided a financial burden to older people with fixed incomes and low pensions. Welfare rights is a high-demand service right now, with some high levels of poverty. There is some support from CAB but would like to link in with Age UK Bucks.

Questions

• At what age do we make reference to older people? Starting at 55.
• Do you look at the holistic approach to Dementia? Work with those who have early onset but don’t offer direct services. Would signpost to local Dementia services. This a significant gap and one to be explored. There are approx. 10k dementia people in Bucks.
• Do you link to Age UK national campaigns? Yes, but no funding is received from them

Looking for more volunteers. Need befriending volunteers as there is currently a waiting list.

Dwayne McKenzie – Confidence through football.

• Brand new CiC
• Looking to provide funds for young, with a view to looking at, and improving mental health
• Raised over £16K in less than 18 months

Q. What is the referral route? Form can be found online for referrals. For those who cannot read and write, help can be given to complete the form with them.