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SEPT & OCT 2023

BI-MONTHLY NEWS Highlights from Blackburn & Darwen Youth Zone

INSIDE Our Young People Pages 2, 3 & 4 Our Partners Pages 5, 6 & 7 Our Patrons Pages 8, 9 , 10 & 11 Our People Page 12 Our Place Pages 13 & 14

Our Young People Spooky Celebrations At our Halloween ‘Festival of Fears, ’ our young people and their youth workers had a wickedly good time! We hosted a party to make your hair curl. Our haunted maze was the centrepiece and our members braved the dark (well most of them anyway) and discovered some wicked treats along the way! A huge Thank You to all the party ghouls and witches who made it a spooktacular night. Special shout-out to our fangtastic team for their hard work. We are already cooking up spells for next year...

Aaron takes his boxing to the ‘Next Level’ With the support of both Technique Boxing and Youth Zone, Aaron, one of our current stable of champions, travelled to the Swedish Box Cup. After a series of bouts, all of which he won by unanimous decision, he was victorious in the final and was crowned champion! Incredibly, Aaron decided to enter the weight category above his current level and so fought heavier and more muscular boxers than he was used to. The boxer he beat in the final bout is himself, both a multi-national and international champion. Why not challenge yourself to try this incredible sport? Find out more about our boxing gym by calling 01254 292000. We cater for all skill levels from complete novices to international champions!

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Summer Street Zone Enabled by the National Lottery We were delighted to be awarded National Lottery ‘Million Hours’ funding which enabled us to deliver five weeks of high-energy detached and outreach youth work throughout the summer holidays. We supported young people in a street-based setting in Darwen East and West and also in Blackburn Central. Not only did many hundreds of young people have a great time socialising with us in their spaces and places but local antisocial behaviour significantly decreased every time we were about. #somethingtodo #somewheretogo #someonetotalkto #millionhoursfund

British Textile Biennial Festival In October, we visited the British Textile Biennial Festival held in Blackburn. Our young people were given a tour of the different venues hosting the event and were fascinated by what was on display. They were particularly interested in some of the recycling innovations for old clothes and brought back with them lots of ideas to explore in our Maker Zone. (I can feel a new project coming on...)

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Watch the space! We’re working on something exciting. We’re renovating an unused space behind our reception at our Blackburn site. Can you guess what it’s going to be? All will be revealed in our next newsletter! This could only happen with the wonderful support of the Clothworkers Foundation. Thanks guys! #Renovation #Outdoor #ClothworkersFoundation

Youth Hub: Hijab's Journey Meet Hijab, an 18-year-old Manga enthusiast who began her journey with Youth Hub through our partnership with Newground Together. Despite her extensive volunteer experience, she had never been in paid employment. Our Youth Hub team worked with Hijab to revamp her CV and ran mock interviews, boosting her employability. An Internship opportunity at Waterstones emerged, and we put her forward. Hijab secured the internship, fulfilling her dream. Her first day at Waterstones marked her first paid employment! Hijab's journey is a testament to the incredible transformation that can be achieved through mentorship and support, where passion evolves into a powerful profession. Congratulations, Hijab! #JourneyStartsHere #YouthHub

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Our Partners Generation Isolation Report 2023: Championing our Services as an Antidote to the Cost of Living crisis We have responded to findings released by the national youth charity, OnSide by committing to providing all of our services free at the point of use. The report highlighted the impact the cost-of-living crisis is having on young people. It explains the role Youth Zones perform in raising the aspirations of all young people as an antidote to being generationally caught in the cost-ofliving crisis. The Generation Isolation research surveyed 5,072 young people aged 11-18 across England in partnership with YouGov. Many of the findings were startling, highlighting how the cost-ofliving crisis has prevented young people experiencing chronic poverty from even thinking of future aspirations. Key local findings: Many 11-18-year-olds have reduced their participation in out-of-school activities such as sport, dance and seeing friends Local families are having to prioritise funds for essential living expenses leaving little for leisure activities A significant minority of young people are living isolated lives, spending most of their free time on screens and in their bedrooms. Young people are expressing concern about the cost-of-living crisis and its impact on their lives, most notably, their mental and physical health.

READ MORE HERE

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One Voice 1 V Awards 2024 We are proud to announce our sponsorship of the 1 V ‘Group of the Year’ award for 2024. Our Universal Service manager, Fahima Iqbal, is pictured here with the award, and we can’t wait to see who impresses the judges enough to win it! Nominations are now open.

One Voice Tea party Last month, we had the pleasure of attending One Voice’s Community Cohesion Tea Party. It was great to connect with local community groups and members. One Voice is one of our closest local youth sector partners and does so much for our local communities. We are proud to be associated with this force for good.

Child action North West: yOUNG cARERS Child Action North West (CANW to their friends), has been bringing their group of young carers along to session for the last six weeks to give them a bit of a break. They have had an action-packed programme including playing dodgeball, getting slimey making random stuff, playing footy, a bit of gaming, arts & crafts and even nail art. Thank you for all you do for those you care for. Come back any time!

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Blackburn Youth Zone Jubilee St, Blackburn BB1 1EP

WE ARE A CHRISTMAS GIFT DROP-OFF POINT Your presents will go a long way in supporting families in Blackburn with Darwen this year in giving their children a Christmas to remember! Christmas Wish-List Christmas presents Selection boxes/sweets Christmas jumpers Pyjamas Toiletries Warm clothes Wrapping paper & giftbags

Double your donations

For more info:

01254 292000 Enquiries@blackburnyz.org

Scan to Donate

this Christmas via the Big Give to support young people during the cost-of-living crisis over the Winter period. Double your donations between the 28th November 12:00am - 5th December 12:00am

Our Patrons Prestige Beds Becomes a Patron! Prestige Beds, a third-generation family-owned company with over 60 years experience supporting customers across the region, has joined the Blackburn & Darwen Youth Zone network as a business Patron. James Dunne from Prestige Beds said of their donation and new partnership with Blackburn & Darwen Youth Zone: “We are proud to support the Blackburn & Darwen Youth Zone and its efforts to empower young people in our community. We believe that investing in young people is the best way to ensure a bright future for everyone, and we are excited to be part of this important work.” READ MORE HERE

Elgra Furniture becomes a patron! Elgra Furniture has reaffirmed their commitment to the borough’s young people by becoming a Youth Zone Bronze Patron. Alongside a financial donation to Youth Zone, they will continue to support the charity with vital advice and guidance as both centres undergo significant redevelopment and enhancement over the next 2 years. Mark Lomas, Director at Elgra Furniture, said of Youth Zone: “Blackburn & Darwen Youth Zone is a fantastic local charity and we are proud to join them as a business Patron. We have been supporting Youth Zone for some years as they upgrade and improve their centres and I have always been impressed with their desire to provide the very best facilities for our young people. The logical next step was to deepen our relationship by doing’ READ MORE HERE that little bit more to help them continue their amazing work.”

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Dare to dream Care leavers project

become a mentor The Dare to Dream Initiative aims to connect local young people leaving care with Youth Zone Patrons in the hope that they can help guide them on the next crucial stage of their lives. The project aims to support the aspirations of young people and help them explore practical routes to local careers supported by a group of dedicated local business mentors. Why is this an important initiative? There are currently 120 local young people between the ages of 17-25 who are in care who are currently not in education or employment training (NEET). Nationally 41% of care leavers aged between 19 and 21 are also NEET, and we want to challenge this statistic together for the benefit of our local care leavers. This statistic is considerably higher than that for the general population, where only around 12% are classed as NEET. The Programme Our experienced Youth Hub Team have worked closely with the BwD Leaving Care team to develop the programme, which will: 1. Recruit and train Business Mentors 2. Prepare young people over a period of 8 weeks for the world of work 3. Facilitate 4 week funded work placements 4. Support local businesses to ensure young people and their new employers get the best out of the experience.

Time commitment: 1. Training 6 hours (virtual/face-to-face) 2. During the programme - 4 weeks of placement support, 16 hours a week. The role of Business Mentor Mentors are committed to helping young people realise and achieve their full potential. They will provide informal coaching, facilitate growth-focused activities, create a safe space for listening without any agenda beyond the participant's best interests (in line with their aspirations and well-being), and, where applicable, share personal life lessons of overcoming challenges and adversity. Rest assured, all mentors will receive comprehensive training and continuous support from our dedicated Youth Hub team throughout the programme. Benefits of Becoming a Mentor Mentoring young people is not just about benefiting the mentees; it also enriches the lives of mentors. It offers opportunities for personal and professional growth, instils a sense of purpose, and fosters meaningful connections with others.

CLICK TO REGISTER

To register, please scan the QR code or visit: https://www.blackburnyz.org/become-a-mentor-dare-to-dream/

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Gordon Taylor (OBE) inspires our ‘Next Level’ Sports Offer We are proud to announce the launch of our ambitious 'Next Level' sports and physical activity programme. This has been co-designed with children and young people. It aims to provide everyone aged 5 to 25 access to a range of priority sports selected by them where they can participate at an enhanced level, (or the ‘Next Level’ as we call it.) Thanks to the kind support and investment of Gordon Taylor OBE, this initiative will enhance the already exceptional sports and physical activity services offered at Youth Zone. Gordon's investment will fund a Sports Manager who will facilitate opportunities to Try, Train, Team and Teach in any sport they choose.

READ MORE HERE

Supper club Our Patron Network Supper Club in September brought together the businesses that support us at an event at Darwen Cricket Club. The Supper Club is exclusively for Patrons and is always hosted by a member of our Board of Trustees. For this event, Wayne Wild and Andrew Graham MBE had the opportunity to update Patrons on the importance of their support in helping to raise the aspirations of the next generation of young people. It was great to hear from the event sponsor, PM+M Solutions for Business LLP and also to have a spotlight on the first Patron for Youth Zone Darwen, Multevo. We are extremely proud to have the support of 64 businesses, institutions and the Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, all dedicated to inspiring young people, enabling a prosperous future for our town.

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Our People Junior Club Lead transition... We have some bittersweet news to share with you all. Our amazing Junior Club Lead, Olivia M, is spreading her wings and starting a new adventure in sunny Australia! While we're sad to see her go, we're thrilled for the incredible journey that awaits her. But wait, here comes more good news! Please join us in welcoming Olivia D, who will be stepping into the role of our new Junior Team Lead. We're confident that our new Olivia will bring fresh perspectives, creativity, and fantastic energy to the team. Let's give both Olivia's a warm send-off and a hearty welcome!

New starter

Wesley Kendall: We are very pleased to welcome Wesley Kendall to our Youth Zone family as our new Caretaker. Wesley has many years of experience in Facilities Management, most recently as the Site Supervisor at Archbishop Temple School in Preston. We are looking forward to him using that experience at Youth Zone as we move into an exciting and challenging period of refurbishment. Welcome Wesley!

Breast cANCER Awareness Fundraising Our Team recently held a bake sale and pink sweepstakes and raised a magnificent £210 for Breast Cancer Awareness. Thank you for all who contributed and a special thank you to all those who braved wearing pink for the day!

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Our Place John Fury support grass roots boxing

Blackburn & Darwen Youth Zone and Technique ABC first joined forces in 2020 to provide local young people with an opportunity to box in a safe, supportive and learning environment. This partnership has grown past all expectations and is now one of our most popular sporting activities. We have seen the improvement of the Boxing Gym, become affiliated with England Boxing, and also regularly hosted many North West Region Boxing Competitions. The partnership has meant that more local young people can try boxing (always free), train and compete at the ‘Next Level’. John Fury, who needed no introduction to the boxing world, attended the event on Saturday, 30th September, offering support and encouragement to young and aspiring boxers from Blackburn and the surrounding areas. John expressed his excitement about the event, saying: "I’m at the championships here, for the amateur championships at Blackburn & Darwen Youth Zone. I want to let people know how important it is for events like this to take place. I want to thank all the people who have put it together and everyone who’s contributed. These events are very important to showcase young people in the area and support boxing throughout Great Britain."