April News 2023 B&DYZ

Our Young People

Spring Zone Hol

We are thrilled to have celebrated the start of thenewseasonwithour‘SpringZone’HAFClub. FromMonday10thtoSaturday15thofApril,we hosted a week-long event at both of our sites, offeringarangeofexcitingactivitiesforyoung people.

Our theme for this year was Spring and growth. Wewantedtocreateaprogrammethatwasfun and engaging which also captured the spirit of RamadanandEasterasbothwerehappeningat aroundthesametime.

Hundreds of our young people had the opportunitytotrynewactivitiessuchasplanting their own vegetables in our community garden, circle mindfulness and recreation sports, crafts and games designed for young people to developtheirowngrowthmindset.

We feel that our Spring Zone HAF Club was a huge success, and are already planning next year ' s event alongside our fabulous and zany

Who doesn’t like free food!

As part of our ‘Street Zone’ detached sessions this Easter we wanted to put a smile on the faces of the young people we met on our travels. With the help of a hot canister and loads of hot chocolate, we warmed the hearts and bellies of young people hanging out with their friends in open spacesacrosstheborough Duetothegenerosity ofourlocalbusinessPatronswewerealsoableto distribute free food packages for young people to givetotheirfamiliestoprovidealittleextrahelpat this difficult time where food prices are going up andup.

It is important for young people to stay hydrated as their bodies use more water than adults (who knew?)sowealsodistributedfreebottlesofwater toeveryyoungpersonwesawonourtravels Asif that wasn't enough, we also couldn't resist a friendlygameoffootballateveryplacewevisited, resulting in many fun-filled days full of treats, exercise,andlaughter.

Keep an eye out for our detached youth workers (you can’t miss them, they’re dressed in orange!) Don'tbeafraidtosayhello!

Picking Litter like a Pro!

AtYouthZone,weencourageouryoungpeopleto takeanactiveroleinmakingapositiveimpacton their community. Late last month during our holidayclub,weorganisedlitterpickingasa‘care for our community’ activity. Our band of budding young environmentalists armed with a litterpicker, a bag and a smile collected 14 bags of discarded rubbish. They then sifted through this pile of yuck and recycled what they could. (Not theirfavouritebitoftheactivityitmustbesaid)

It'salwaysheartwarmingtoseeouryoungpeople taking an interest in making their community look and feel great and we ' re proud of their efforts. Quote of the day - “Who throws away a plastic duck?(youknowwhoyouare!)

Our members of the month

Introducing our Members of the Month! Every month, we recognise the outstanding achievementsofouryoungmembersatBlackburn&DarwenYouthZone.FromBlackburn and Darwen sites, we select a Junior and Youth Member who have shown exceptional dedication,courage,andkindnessintheirsessions.Let'smeetourstars!

In Blackburn, Ellie-Mae (9) has been awarded the title of Junior member of the month for her awesome attitude towards trying newthingsandgettinginvolvedinavarietyofactivities.Ellie-Mae isasuperstarwhenitcomestoquizzesandhasbeentoppingour leaderboard with her impressive knowledge. You add so much to our sessions every week and you definitely deserve your April MemberoftheMonthaward!

Meanwhile, Naomi (17) has been named Youth member of the monthforherfantasticworkinbringingasenseofcalmnesstoour sessions, being an outstanding young leader, and going above and beyond to support our staff team in both juniors and youth sessions.Naomi'sdedicationandhardworkhavebeennoticedby everyoneatourBlackburnYouthZone,andwecouldn'tbeprouder!

Over in Darwen, we ' re celebrating the achievements of two more amazingmembers.River(10)hasbeenawardedJuniormemberof the month for his incredible progress in sessions, growing in confidence and developing great communication skills River has been stepping outside of his comfort zone to try new things, and we 'rethrilledtoseehishardworkpayingoff!

Andlastbutnotleast,Alisha(14)hasbeennamedYouthmember of the month at our Darwen Youth Zone Alisha, also known as Stewpot, has been attending every session for the past year and has become an integral part of our team. She's energetic, kind, and always goes the extra mile to make everyone feel welcome. Alisha is a phenomenal young leader and an asset to our organisation-we'reluckytohaveheronourteam!

Congratulationstoallourmembersofthemonth-we'reproudof youallandcan'twaittoseewhatyou'llachievenext!

Autism Awareness day

On Tuesday 2nd April (Autism Awareness Day), Blackburn & Darwen Youth Zone took the opportunity to celebrate and recognise the challenges and achievements of those of our Diversity Club members who have Autism For us this is simply acknowledging their challenges,focussingontheirstrengthsandembracingtheirwonderfuluniqueness.

It is really important to us to create a welcoming and supportive environment for all our members,andwe'reproudtostandwiththeautismcommunityonAutismAwarenessday andeveryotherday.

Out of the many fantastic conversations on the day one of our members said this which broughtalumptoourthroats:

‘‘Peoplethinkthatbecausewehaveautism,wecan'tfollow instructions.IhavebeenworkingonaMeccanocarwithMartin, myyouthworker,andhe’sdefinitelynotoneofthose.He’s alwayspatientwithmeandwhenIgetthingswrong,hedoesn't shout.Hetalkstomeaboutallthedifferentwayswecanfixit, andthenletsmetry’’

D,DiversityMember

''Sometimes,peopledon'tunderstandwhatautismisanditcan endupwithpeoplebeingbullied.Allpeoplewithautismneed sometimes,isafriend,orjustsomeonetotalkto.Icometo YouthZonesoIcanmakefriendswithpeoplewho understand.''

J,DiversityMember

''Usually,myfamilydon’tletmehelpwithbakingbecausethey thinkI'llburnmyselforgetitwrong.InDiversityClub,Ihave learnthowtodothingssafelywithmyyouthworkerswhoexplain thingstomesothatIunderstand.TodayforAutismDay,Imadea cakenearlyallbymyself.''

C,DiversityMember

Our patrons

Youth Zone Darwen Fundraising tops

£500,000!

ZoneDarwenconceptwasborn Sincethatday,localbusinesseshavecometogethertoget behindtheinitiativeandaninitialtargetof£250,000wasraisedwithin6monthsofconcept, enablingamovetowardsamorepermanentYouthZonefootprintacrosstheTowncovering everydayoftheweek

WayneWildTrusteeofBlackburn&DarwenYouthZonesaid:

"Atthestartoflastyearwesetouttoraise£250,000toensuretheYouthZoneDarwenyouth activitiesoffercouldgainafootholdintheTown.Weachievedthisbuthadtheambitionto makeourownYouthZoneapermanentfeatureoftheTown

Iamdelightedtoreportthat,withanincredibleeffortandcommitmentofthelocalbusiness community, we have doubled the original investment enabling us to plan for 2024 and beyond."

Blackburn Beer & Gin Festival was a hit!

Blackburn Beer & Gin Festival opened with a bang as over 100 businesses attended a hugelysuccessfulexclusivesponsorevent on Friday afternoon. Individuals had the opportunity to network with some of the biggest businesses in East Lancashire whilstsamplingthefinestbeersandgins.

The three-day event showcased a lineup of 60 ales sourced by Headline Sponsor, Bowland Brewery, as well as a range of lagers and ciders from some fantastic local producers Attendees also had the opportunity to try a range of gins sourced fromDarwen-basedWhitehallDistillery.

“The Blackburn Beer & Gin Festival is one of the most successful fundraising events in East Lancashire It raises vital funds for a local charity that is close to our hearts, and isapleasuretobeapartofeveryyear,”said MalcolmIreland,ChairmanoftheBlackburn Beer&GinFestival.

Action-packed rugby matches entertained the attendees throughout the weekend too, whilst live music featured some great local talent, including George Banks, Miranda MylesandPaulConner.Guestsalsohadthe opportunity to try delicious food from Clayton Park, La Bella Mozzarella and Spicy JackDeli

AndrewGrahamMBE,FounderofBlackburn &DarwenYouthZonesaid:

‘Local businesses power this event, and we are delighted with how many businesses get behind it to raise funds. Thank you to everyone who sponsored, especially to our Headline Sponsors, Totally Wicked, Bowker and Farleys Solicitors. A special thank you toCardboardBoxCompanytoo

This event is Blackburn & Darwen Youth Zone’s biggest fundraiser, and we really appreciate the Committee of business leaders Chaired by Malcolm Ireland dedicating 6 months of their time to preparing the event, with all profits being donated to Blackburn & Darwen Youth Zone.

Brian Mercer Charitable Trust

The Brian Mercer Charitable Trust has been a long-standing Patron of Blackburn & Darwen Youth Zone, providing invaluable support since 2012. The Trust's generous donations, year on year, have significantly impacted the lives of thousands of our youngpeople.

Over the last 10 years, their support has enabled us to provide crucial services and programmes that have enabled young people to develop their skills, explore their passions,andreachtheirfullpotential.

Thanks to the Trust's commitment to our Movement, we have been able to offer a wide range of activities and support, including sports, music, dance and drama for young people Through our services for young people we have seen many grow in confidence, buildtheirresilience,anddevelopasenseofpurposeanddirectioninlife.

HannahAllen,ourChiefExecutive,commentingontheTrust'ssupport,said:

"We really value the ongoing support from the Brian Mercer Charitable Trust. Their generousdonationscontinuetoenableustoprovidethousandsofyoungpeoplewithlifechangingopportunities.WeareincrediblygratefulfortheircommitmenttoourMovement andwhatthissaysaboutthemasaforceforgoodintheworld.”

Easter egg donation

We wanted to take a moment to say a big THANK YOUto Stafforce and BBF Limited for their thoughtfulness and generosity in donating over 100 Easter eggs to us to distributetolocalyoungpeopleovertheEasterholidays.

Our young people couldn’t quite believe their luck when they each received an egg during our Easter Sunday sessions. Their donation brought many smiles to our members' faces and helped us to create a memorable (andchocolatey)experience.Thankyou!

DATES for your diary- Exclusive to patrons

may 19th

Stonyhurst Park cHARITY GOLF DAY Summary

19th May, Stonyhurst Park Golf Club host their annual Charity Golf Day Last year the successful event supported by members and local businesses, raised £6,000forthreechosencharities

This year we are delighted that Blackburn & Darwen Youth Zonehave been nominated as one of the chosen charitiesforthe2023CharityDay.

A team consists of four players and they currently have two team spaces available Enter a team for £190 includingaBBQandrefreshmentsthroughouttheday

If you would like to find out some more information or enter a team please contact Jean via jeangentry15@gmail.com

jUNE 15th

B&dYZ Supper club @ mYTTON fOLD Summary

This is an informal social get-together There will be an update on the impact Blackburn & Darwen is making. It is also an opportunity to say thank you and is exclusive to the Patron network. To be involved with any of our events please send an email to: melanie.thomas@blackburnyz.org or call: 01254 292 000

To find out more about becoming a patron for Blackburn & Darwen Youth Zone, please email: melanie.thomas@blackburnyz.org

Our partners

Our partners

Eid Family Fun Day

What a day we had! Let us tell you how thiscameabout…

Somemonthsagowesatdownwithtwoof our amazing partners, IMO and One Voice to plan a ‘modest’ event to celebrate Eid. Perhapswegotabitgiddybutwithinafew hourswehadbuiltaneventdrawingonall ofourcollectiveexperience.

Saturday dawned and as we readied ourselvesforatrickleofyoungpeopleand their families, the trickle became a flood! We painted faces, bounced, climbed, crafted, made stuff, painted stuff, sang, danced, chilled, ate and ate some more. By 5pm we had welcomed over 1,000 visitors to our Blackburn Jubilee Street centre. As the last young person left looking like Leo the Lion and holding a masterpiecetobepostedonhisfridgeour teamsheavedahugesighofrelief.

Thankyoutoallwhoattendedontheday. It wouldn’t have been the same without you We’realreadyplanningabiggerevent fornextyearandyou’reallinvited!

Toviewthevideo,youmustbeviewingournewsletter through ouronlineversion

“I'm Not A Muslim But I’ll Fast For A Day” 1 Voice blackburn Campaign Support

WewerethrilledtobeinvitedbyOneVoiceBlackburn,oneofourmostactivepartners,tosupport madan. This encouraged people to fast for a single day as an act of undtheworld.

ereatYouthZonetocontinuallystrivetounderstandallaspectsoflivingin e benefits this brings. Many of our team members are practising Muslims ught that this was a great way to gain insights on how it feels to fast, nd how this must affect the millions of Muslims across the world It was eronthebenefitsofcontrollinganger,envy,greedandgossipandwehad uslims and non-muslims alike on these topics Here are some reflections madethiscommitmenttofastforaday:

Steve Worden, Youth Hub Employability Mentor: “The first time I observed Ramadan was in 2007 The previous year, I had been working with a Muslim male, in Bolton, Who i was supportingandhesaidthathewantedtogetajobinOutdoor Education I decided to do some rock climbing with him and afterthesessionIofferedtobuysomefoodbuthedeclinedas hesaiditwas'Ramaadan'.IrealisedthatIhadnotconsidered his cultural needs. So I decided to do this the following year. Sincethistime,IhaveworkedwithmanyMuslimyoungpeople andfamiliesfromdifferentcountriessooutofrespectIfastfor thefull30days''

Mark Lawes, Programme Manager: ''I fasted for the Big Iftar lastyearjustafterIarrived Ifoundithard Havingdevelopeda closework'family'overthelastyearIdecidedtojoinmymany Muslim friends this year, I guess as an act of solidarity Secretly, Ifanciedthechallengeandwiththehelpofmywork colleagues Fahima and Adbul, learnt a little more. The 1st 3 dayswerehardbutasthedayshaveprogressed,thingshave goteasier.IhavelovedthecommunityspiritduringRamadan andneveradaygoesbywithoutusdiscussinghowweareall feeling. It's sort of strange to think about other people across theworldwhoareexperiencingthesamehungerandthirstas me It makes you realise how lucky you are and I believe makes you all the more likely to want to do more for those in need,especiallythosewhodon'thaveachoice"

LauraHouldridge,HeadofAdolescence:“Hi,mynameisLaura and I have been observing Ramadan this year by taking part in fasting. I've done this because I have a lot of friends and colleagues who are Muslim, and I always want to make sure that I am respecting those around me. I have been able to take part in traditions within Muslim culture whilst working at B&DYouthZone,andit'simportanttometocelebratethistime of year with those observing Ramadan It's also been a really educational time for me, learning more about Ramadan by takingpartinfastingwithmyfriends Thebestpartofitisthe feeling of togetherness when you gather with friends for iftar, that'smadeitreallyenjoyableforme''

9

Steve Worden

Mark Lawes

Laura Houldridge

Hatch Employability Programme Partnering with KFC & UK Youth

OurnewHATCHemployabilityprogrammeisnowinfullswingthankstoourpartnershipwithUK Youth,andKFC.

This programme is designed for young people aged 16-25 who are not currently in a job or in college It offers a brilliant opportunity for young people to gain valuable skills and experience directlylinkedtotheworkplace Participantsreceiveatwo-weekfullonandenergetictrainingwith our Youth Hub team, followed by a four-week paid work placement at KFC This comes with a guaranteed interview at the end The training is deliberately activity based (Activity Based Engagement we call it), as we know this is one of the best ways for young people to learn (when theyarehavingfun!)

Weknowthatthisinitiativegivesyoungpeoplethesupporttheyneedtoentertheworkforceandto standoutinacompetitivejobmarket.

If you’re interested in joining the next course, just contact the Coordinator, Laura Billington on: Laura.billington@blackburnyz.orgor01254292000.

Our people

Our people

WELCOME OUR NEW STARTERS

We welcomed this month, an amazing and uber experienced youth worker, LauraWoodfine.

Laura joined our team as the Youth Club Team Leader and is already bringing lots of fresh ideas to the already packed programme for teenagers at our Jubilee Streetcentre

A Yorkshire Lass by birth (we don’t hold thatagainsther),Laurabringswithherlots of specialist experience in supporting vulnerableandatriskyoungpeople.Sheis a natural mentor and communicator and finds it really easy to make instant connections with young people. Sometimes you’ve either got it or you haven’tandLauracertainlyhasit!

You can meet her most Youth club nights stood at our entrance for the 1st half hour greetingourmembers,havingalaughand juggling all the many issues her role

Shecanoftenbeseenoutsidehavingachat with young people and always draws a crowd!.

Laura,wefeelluckytohaveyouontheteam and can’t wait for all the new clubs you are planningtogetofftheground!

Wewouldliketowelcomeournewsessional Play, Youth, Sports, Outreach, and Arts Workers,we’resureyouwillmakethemall feelwelcome:

Ummaih Shah (Youth WorkerBlackburn)

Kim Studdard (Arts WorkerBlackburn/Darwen)

Claudia Hawkins (Youth Worker/Junior SessionLead-Darwen)

Jade Wilkinson (Detached/Outreach Worker-Darwen)

James Arnfield (Youth WorkerBlackburn)

Hanzalah Kapadi (Youth WorkerBlackburn)

Mohammed Kathrada (Sports WorkerBlackburn)

Zulekha Nadat (Youth WorkerBlackburn)

James Henderson (Youth WorkerDarwen)

Jessica Richardson (Sports WorkerBlackburn)

Sameenah Panchbhaya (Play WorkerBlackburn/Darwen)

AaronFletchman(BoxingCoach)

Brooke(BoxingCoach)

MiyaPasserini(DevelopmentPlayWorker Programme-Darwen)

KatieHaworth(DevelopmentPlayWorker Programme-Blackburn)

Taylor Lee-Brunton (Development Play WorkerProgramme-Blackburn)

fIRST-AID TRAINING

At Blackburn & Darwen Youth Zone, as we hopeyouknow,wearesuperseriousabout safety.Butthatdoesn'tmeanwecan'thave funwhilelearning!

Thismonthtwelveofourteammembersgot hands on with their first aid training course to make sure we keep young people with safeandhealthy.

From practising bandaging techniques to mastering CPR, we now have even more people who can give out yet another ice pack to our boxers! With this training under our belts, we ' re now even better prepared to provide a safe and secure environment for allofourmembers.

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) Training

A DSL, for those of you who don’t know, is a legal requirement for any youth organisation.

ThepeoplewhobecomeDSLsareexperiencedyouthworkmanagerswhostepuptotake on this role in addition to their day job. By law, every youth organisation is required to haveoneDSL.Wenowhaveseven.

We take this part of our work very seriously and work constantly to ensure young people areassafeandprotectedastheycanbe,eitherinsideoroutsideofYouthZone.DSLsare called by our team members whenever there is an issue that may be considered safeguarding or even when they simply have a concern they would like advice on We work hard to prevent such issues occurring by great pastoral care and support. When theydohappenwearewellplacedtorespondeffectivelyandappropriately.We’reproud of our safeguarding of local young people and we know from our recent consultations thatyoungpeopleandtheirfamiliesvaluethishighlyalso.

Our parents

Our parents

Renew your child's membership

Makesureyourenewyourchild'smembershipatBlackburn&DarwenYouthZone.

It is important to keep your child's membership up to date to ensure they have continued accesstotheYouthZone'sfacilitiesandactivities

Additionally, it is crucial to keep the information on the Youth Zone's systems up to date, includingyourcontactinformationandanymedicalordietaryrequirementsyourchildmay have.Thisinformationallowsthestafftoprovidethebestpossibleexperienceforyourchild andensuretheirsafetywhiletheyareattheYouthZone.

Hereisastepbystepguideonhowtodoso!:

Step 1

Visit:https://www.blackburnyz.org/your-zone-old/renew-membership/

Step 2

Completetheformwithyourupdatesdetails,thiswilltakeyou5minutes

Step 3

Youareuptodateonoursystems! Feelfreetocomeandjoininthefun!

Our place

Our place

The great Big Iftar 2023

Mid-month we had our stupendous 'Great Big Iftar' event. This was an extraordinary gathering that brought together people from all walks of life across our borough to celebratetheholymonthofRamadan.

The event was a perfect blend of community, faith, and culture, and it was amazing to see the energy and enthusiasm that filled the Youth Zone in Blackburn. Over 140 people attendedtheevent,breakingtheirfastwithsomedeliciousdates(traditionalfareasyou may know), and food, food, lots of food! It was a great opportunity for people from diversebackgroundswhocametogether,connectted,andlearntfromeachother.

We are proud to have partnered with IMOCharity and One Voice Blackburn in bringing togethersuchadiversegroupofpeopletogetherandprovidingaplatformforpeopleto celebratetheirsharedhumanity

Events like 'The Great Big Iftar' remind us of the importance of community, promoting inclusivityandunity Weareproudtohavebeenpartoftheeventbyhostingitinoneof ourcentresandaregratefultoeveryonewhocametojoinus.

Jewellers Donating tickets for Blackburn Rovers Game

PeterJacksontheJeweller'srecentlygifted 40 tickets to the Rovers Vs. Luton football game on Monday 1st May to the young peopleofBlackburn&DarwenYouthZone. Thekindgesturewasincelebrationoftheir 40yearanniversary.

The donation helped to mark the local team's last home game of the season, and provided the young people and their families with an opportunity for a fun day outwiththeiryouthworkers

One fortunate family received the tickets as part of the Eid Family Fun Day, while the remaining tickets were given to welldeserving young people from both the Blackburn and Darwen sites The young people thoroughly enjoyed the game and the very entertaining photo opportunity arranged by Peter Jackson and Blackburn RoversFCpitchside.

Thedonationmadeahugedifferencetothe young people and their families, providing themwithafunandmemorableexperience. The young people had a fantastic time at thegame,andthegestureisatestamentto Peter Jackson's legacy of giving back to Lancashire communities. The Blackburn & DarwenYouthZoneexpressedtheirheartfelt gratitude for the kind donation and hoped theydidjusticetoPeterJackson'slegacy.

"IneverthoughtIwouldgetthechanceto watch Blackburn Rovers play live, but thanks to Peter Jackson Jewellers, I was able to do just that! It was an amazing experienceandIwillneverforgetit.Thank yousomuchforgivingmeandmyfamily such a wonderful opportunity"

-R,Young Person who attends Blackburn Youth Zone