Reaching People and representatives from our members’ network were joined last week by young people at the E2 Community Hub in Leicester to share, reflect, learn and identify areas where we can all add value to each other’s efforts to support local young people.
Participants explained how they were all involved in a wide range of projects and initiatives including:
Providing intensive one-to-one support to young people facing a variety of complex issues
Providing mental health and wellbeing support in community settings
Providing a wide range of community-based support and activities including targeted work with ‘high needs’ SEND young people
Bringing the business community and SEND young people together to improve their employability skills and opportunities
Providing support on LGBTQ+ issues for young people including targeted work for Trans young people
Enabling young people to speak out on a range of issues such as the care system to bring about long-term systemic change
Enabling young people from disadvantaged communities to participate in DofE scheme
Providing young people caught up in the youth justice system with positive pathways and opportunities, so they stop committing crimes and get into employment, education or training
Producing videos, publications and podcasts that raise awareness of the lives of young people and the issues they face
Young people consistently highlight the need for safe, supportive spaces where they feel cared for and can access long-term help to navigate complex challenges and eventually secure meaningful work. Feedback again emphasised the vital role of community-based youth projects.
SEND young people were identified as particularly at risk of exclusion due to higher support needs, including intimate care. Encouragingly, organisations including Coalville CAN, E2 Community Hub, and Leicestershire Cares committed to working together to strengthen support and inclusion.
The group welcomed ‘My Care Journey,’ produced by Leicestershire Cares, recognising it as a powerful tool highlighting young people’s strengths and the importance of their voices in shaping policy and practice.
Funding and volunteering remain major challenges. Competition for grants has intensified, partly due to AI-driven applications raising standards, while recruitment and retention of volunteers have become harder since lockdown, particularly in light of home working changes and the impact of the cost-of-living crisis. Reaching People took action to explore how it might support members to find volunteers.
Sarah Richards shared some upcoming funding opportunities and participants agreed that it would be good for the group to identify areas where we could develop coalition proposals that pull on our significant shared skills.
The group will continue to meet on a quarterly basis and seek to identify more practical ways in which they can partner on projects and funding bids.
Sangeeta Patel said: "It was great to be joined by young people at our members meeting to hear their concerns, reflect on the amazing work that our members are doing, and explore what we need to do better and how.
“Funding, as ever, is a big need, but the offers of support and collaboration amongst members is inspiring, whether it's offering space, promoting and joining up services, or sharing expertise around supporting SEND young people.
“Thanks to E2 for hosting and to Leicestershire Cares for facilitating. Looking forward to taking this forward!”
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