Impact Review
24 20
Welcome to our 2023-24 Impact Review!
This has been another productive year offering an incredible range of activities for young people across Coventry and the surrounding area. As you'll see, we provide opportunities for young people whatever their needs or circumstances: whether they come once a week to participate in sports and youth clubs, or six days a week to join one of our mentoring programmes. The report is structured around our strategic aims, and we are beginning a new data collection exercise this year which will help us to measure the impact of our work in each of these areas.
I'd like to thank our amazing funders, volunteers and staff team – their commitment, dedication and innovation has had a big impact on young people and makes PYF the friendly and supportive place it is. We hope this is reflected in the stories and photographs throughout this report. My biggest thanks as ever go to the young people and their families for working alongside us so positively.
If you want to find out more about our work, partner with us or know a young person who might like to get involved in what we do, please get in touch.
Rashid Bhayat, MBE, Doc.Litt Chief Executive Officer
Our Strategic Aims
Young people who participate in our programmes will...
Overcome adversity, maximise their potential and achieve positive improvements in their lives.
Improve their physical, emotional and mental well-being.
Build resilience and support against all forms of exploitation.
Increase their chances of meaningful employment, training and staying on in education.
Expand their creative skills and communication experiences.
Develop their voice, and influence society through social action programmes.
Experience a supportive and welcoming environment.
Altogether 1,886 young people took part in one or more of the 3,368 sessions we ran in 2023-24.
Where do our participants live?
The heatmap was created as part of our research partnership with Coventry University’s Centre for Global Learning. We support young people right across the city, but the hotter colours show areas of the city where the highest numbers of our participants live.
68%
of our participants live in postcodes that belong to the bottom two deciles of the Index of Deprivation Affecting Children Index.
Building Self-Confidence
Overcoming adversity, maximising potential and achieving positive improvements in young people’s lives
Many of the young people we support face challenging circumstances, often linked to difficult home lives, low family incomes or uncertain legal status in the UK. Some have mental or physical health challenges.
Our work aims to build young people’s self-confidence, help them make friends and build trusted adult relationships with youth workers. This becomes a foundation for other things – improving in education, finding employment or the motivation to think more positively about the future.
Our Chances programme was funded through a Social Impact Bond (SIB) arranged by the community interest company Substance with Coventry City Council as one of the financial backers. PYF delivered over 8,600 hours of mentoring, individual and small group support to 540 young people between Apr 2022 – Mar 2024.
young people completed accredited qualifications
including Entry Level 3 Functional Skills in Mathematics and a range of AQA awards.
(PYF Chances programme 2023-24).
We have worked with the City & Guilds Foundation since 2023 to develop digital credentials for PYF, so that young people can be recognised for the progress they make in both volunteering and work experience.
For some, the end goal of a job seems a long way off. Our Badges scheme recognises the effort and progress young people put in to moving closer to work, often overcoming personal and wider difficulties on the way.
DURING THE YEAR 17 YOUNG PEOPLE TOOK PART IN SECURING A FUTURE QUALIFICATION
A Healthy Future
Improving physical, emotional and mental well-being
Spending time with friends in a safe, welcoming place
Our partnership with Coventry Building Society has allowed us to deliver an open access youth club twice a week from Hillfields Young People’s Centre.
We also offer music studio access, quieter spaces for homework and informal English language support, as well as serving hot food. In 2023-24 our cooking team (including young volunteers) served over 9,000 meals, including for young people to take home to their families.
YOUNG PEOPLE SAY HOW MUCH THEY ENJOY PARTICIPATING IN YOUTH CLUB, HOW IT CAN HELP THEM TO RELAX AND SPEND TIME WITH FRIENDS IN A SAFE, WELCOMING PLACE
Staff and young people serving up delicious food from the kitchen in our youth centre.
10 Things we do to support young people’s mental health
one two three four five six seven eight nine ten
Clear leadership and managment ensures policies and procedures are consistently applied.
We provide a safe place to go where young people can take part in a wide range of organised activities that support their personal and social development.
Robust safeguarding policies and procedures are in place.
Young people feel welcomed, have the opportunity to meet different people and make new friends.
Strong principles of equality inform our practice. Young people are accepted for who they are.
Trained and experienced staff are able to build positive relationships with young people and provide consistency in their lives.
Young people have sufficient trust in staff to share their worries or concerns.
We provide opportunities for young people to express their ideas, create their own activities and influence decisions in the organisation as a whole.
Practical assistance is available for young people such as support with homework, ESOL classes, access to the internet and nutritious food.
Staff advocate on behalf of young people when is apppropriate, in order to remove barriers or ensure support is available when required. If external refferals are made, we continue to support the young person.
Go Parks is a city-wide programme led by PYF and supported in 2023-4 by Sport England, Coventry City Council and the Paul Hamlyn Foundation.
Fourteen community organisations delivered sports activities in the summer and autumn of 2023, including skateboarding, short tennis, parkour, boxing, as well as creative activities inspired by the outdoors.
ALTOGETHER
1,255 YOUNG PEOPLE TOOK PART ACROSS 19 CITY PARKS
One of PYF’s first ever programmes was Saturday football in Hillfields and over 20 years later we still deliver sessions at the same time each week for up to 100 young people. Many thousands of participants have taken part over the years.
We also run a popular mid-week basketball session in Hillfields. 340 young people took part this year.
SATURDAY FOOTBALL WEEKNIGHT BASKETBALL
Lining up for a photo at the Longford Short Football Multi-Sport Event in Longford Park, Coventry
Staying Safe
Building resilience and support against all forms of exploitation
Our work in this area includes our safeguarding activity and accident reporting, but also includes giving young people a platform to speak for themselves and training to respond in times of crisis.
RESEARCH INTO MENTORING
PYF took part in a 2-year programme funded by the Youth Endowment Fund (YEF) which tested the feasibility of running research trials in multiple sites. This approach, which YEF described as ‘ground-breaking’, allowed smaller community-based organisations to take part in a randomised control trial assessing the impact of mentoring on participants.
PYF was one of 16 organisations selected to run the trials and we supported 44 young people over an 18-month period, including 22 who were randomly selected to undergo mentoring in the first cohort. Cohort 2 was offered the same counselling and support but were not included in the final data collection.
All 44 young people were retained in the project –nobody dropped out and PYF was commended for its work.
PYF RECORDED 124 SAFEGUARDING AND ACCIDENT INCIDENTS IN 2023-24. OF THESE 57 WERE REFERRED TO EXTERNAL BODIES AS PART OF OUR LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES.
Hawraa, a participant from PYF, speaking at conference on young refugees at St Antony’s College, Oxford University.
Skills for Life
Increasing
chances of employment, training and staying on in education
Slik Chefs and Community Café are two of several initiatives funded by the National Lottery Community Fund’s Reaching Communities programme.
ALTOGETHER THIS YEAR WE SUPPORTED 628 YOUNG PEOPLE AND DELIVERED 387 SESSIONS
SLICK CHEFS 6-WEEK COOKING PROGRAMME
In collaboration with St Peter’s Church, we hosted Slik Chefs, a sixweek cooking experience led by a professional chef aimed at upskilling young people in different cuisines and cooking techniques as well as promoting healthy living, in a fun and educational way.
Participants worked together in teams and learned to collaborate, increasing their confidence, time management and organisational skills. It also exposed them to potential career paths in the culinary arts and left them with a sense of accomplishment and pride in their culinary creations.
COMMUNITY CAFÉ FOR OLDER YOUNG PEOPLE
We launched a community café, which has quickly become our hub for 16-25 year olds seeking guidance and assistance. The café offers a wide range of opportunities for personal and professional development including employability support, life skills development, cooking lessons, well-being activities, networking, confidence building and social skill development.
The cafe also serves as a place where we collaborate with employers and other professionals to enhance young people’s employability prospects.
Our plan for year two involves expanding our support, for example by offering sessions for young refugees and asylum seekers. These sessions will enable us to identify the challenges the young people face and create action plans to support them into education, employment, and training.
COLLEGE BOOST: SUPPORTING YOUNG REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS INTO COLLEGE
Funded by the City & Guilds Foundation, College Boost aims to support young refugees and asylum seekers to improve their English language skills and learn more about life in the UK.
Participants include refugees arriving under the Syrian and Afghan UK government resettlement schemes, and unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) under 18 who are looked after by the local authority and foster parents.
We provided three levels of ESOL (Pre-entry, Level 1&2, and GSCE) for 60 young people, as well as individual help with college applications. In addition, we created a small group to help newly arrived young women with applications for university, volunteering or employment.
GRADUATION FOR YOUNG REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS
All 60 of our participants in English language classes increased their grade levels during the year. Many have had disrupted educational experiences and we wanted to create a graduation experience for them, and their parents or guardians, to recognise the hard work they put in to study.
Visiting University of Warwick with College Boost GCSE students to explore opportunities in higher education.
On Reflection...
'I am so grateful to PYF, and completely understand why their work is so crucial to underprivileged communities. I’m the first doctor in my family, and the first to go to a British university. I never had any of those obvious opportunities to tap into and expose me to the idea of going into medicine.
Developing volunteer skills at such a young age at PYF (from the age of 13-17) prepared me to reach out for work experience and placements in healthcare environments. I needed those experiences to complete my medical school applications. It wasn’t just the guidance I got from being involved in those sessions, it actively took me away from other distractions. I grew up in a crime-ridden environment. It would’ve been really easy for me to fall into a life of crime. PYF didn’t just introduce opportunities – they kept me on the straight path to success.
The thing I treasure most from my time at PYF is the friendships I made and the learning it gave me to speak with practically anyone from any background. PYF was a complete melting pot of so many different people, and our shared experience was PYF - coming together and having a good time. It was a really nice time in my life.’
Shariah Amin
Years at PYF: 2007-2013
Current Bio: Qualified Doctor 2020, GP in Training – motivation: to serve my community.
Self Expression
Expanding creative skills and experiences
This was another incredible year for our Changing Trax team, supporting young artists through our music studio and providing them with real opportunities to perform, record and launch their own music as well as develop their business skills as independent artists.
AS PART OF THIS, WE CO-ORDINATED AN INDEPENDENT STAGE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AT COVENTRY’S 2-DAY GODIVA FESTIVAL
We secured funding from the Arts Council for further training and support for young artist development, and from the Network for Social Change to support spoken word artists, including newly arrived young people.
We worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford on an exhibition piece for their foyer – a video created by our spoken word artists.
Back at our youth centre in Hillfields we run a weekly, ever-popular art session.
Be Heard!
Develop their voice, and influence society through social action programmes
POSITIVE YOUNG THINKERS (PYT) YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD
PYT is made up of local young people using their voices to advocate for change and support our organisation behind the scenes. Young people are granted autonomy to plan and manage large aspects of our National Lottery-funded community engagement programme, demonstrating leadership and initiative
PYT members are consulted before we start any new sessions within our Positive Futures programme as well as other areas of work. The group have a regular slot at Board Meetings to meet with Trustees.
Above and Top Right) Filming At What Cost, which premiered in May 2024 at the launch of the WMVRP’s My Tomorrow campaign.
In 2023-24 PYF played a key role in 2 regional youth voice initiatives: developing the Youth Assembly for the West Midlands Violence Reduction Partnership (WMVRP), and the Young Combined Authority (YCA), a consultative body for the West Midlands Combined Authority.
The Youth Assembly includes 35 young people aged 14-18, from all authorities across the region and a large part of their work has been to develop the My Tomorrow campaign, young people’s vision for the VRP strategy and what it should focus on for young people.
The YCA includes approximately 25 young people aged 11-18 who have identified issues affecting young people they feel are important for the combined authority to consider, including homelessness, the economy, cost of living and race and inequality.
Both initiatives will continue in the coming year. They give an opportunity for young people to learn about public policy issues and to develop the skills to speak out.
A Safe Place To Be
Experiencing a supportive and welcoming environment
CHILD FRIENDLY COVENTRY & SAFE SPACES
We are proud to support the local initiative which is a citywide effort by key local agencies to make the city ‘friendly’ for young people to live in and to create safe spaces for young people if they feel vulnerable from risk.
NEW ARRIVALS
For many newly arrived young people finding a welcoming place where they can meet others and make friends is so important. We run Thursday and Friday sessions for Hong Kong arrivals, providing badminton sessions at Moat House Community Centre.
“PYF TAUGHT ME THAT IT WAS OK TO BE ME, BE AUTHENTIC AND EXPRESSIVE.”
On Reflection...
PYF has etched many memories and lessons on my heart that I truly believe I will never forget. I always remember my time at PYF as a lifeline. PYF taught me that it was ok to be me, be authentic and expressive. Most of all it helped me realise I desired a better life, better opportunities and just better myself, period. They made me realise that it was possible. Eternally grateful.
Christine Years at PYF: 2014-2018
Current Bio: 2:1 Working with Children, Young People & Families (Newman University); Postgraduate Diploma, Advanced Relationship Based Social Work Practice with Children & Families (University of Lancaster); Policy & Development Deputy Lead – Emerge Worldwide (a nonprofit organisation aimed at supporting victims and survivors of sex trafficking and exploitation).
Footballers Casey Palmer and Luis Binks from Coventry City F.C joined us to hand out presents in the Christmas Grotto.
Supporting Talent
Investing in staff development
PYF has a long tradition of encouraging staff to grow through the organisation, from participants in our programmes to volunteers, sessional staff, part-time and then full-time staff.
This progression doesn’t suit everyone - for example, university students who come in as volunteers or sessional staff are happy to do this alongside their studies.
Our work is enhanced greatly by having staff with the experience, background and understanding of the young people we work with. It allows trust and respect to develop with young people, which is at the heart of what we do.
Training in 2023-24 has been an important part of our development and all day-training has included mental health, autism awareness, visual impairment awareness, cognitive behavioural therapy. 20 staff took part, 95% rated it excellent or good.
Our Funders
We are very grateful to all those who have supported the delivery of our work from April 2023 to March 2024 Without your support, our work would not be possible.
+ 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust
+ Alan Edward Higgs Charity
+ Aubrey Allen
+ Badminton England
+ Cambridge University Press & Assessment
+ Centre for Youth Impact
+ Cheshire Community Foundation
+ Children In Need
+ City & Guilds Foundation
+ Coventry Building Society
+ Coventry City Council
+ Dept for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities
+ Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
+ Forward Institute
+ Garfield Weston
+ Groundwork
+ Guenther Bakeries Coventry and C.H. Guenther & Son
+ Jake Restaurants Ltd
T/A McDonalds
+ John & Julia Egan Charitable Trust
+ National Citizen Service Trust
+ National Express Foundation
+ National Foundation for Youth Music
+ National Lottery Community Fund
+ Parker Hannifin Fund
+ Paul Hamlyn Foundation
+ Salesforce UK Ltd
+ SLS Insight And Planning Ltd
+ Strategic Leisure
+ Substance Ltd
+ Swires Charitable Trust
+ Think Active
+ West Midlands Combined Authority
+ West Midlands Police & Crime Commissioner
On Reflection...
Some of my best memories were made at PYF. I feel so proud to tell people that I had the opportunity to volunteer at the Olympics, and that I’ve been to Devon and learnt how to surf. When I was a kid, when I started at PYF, I was incredibly shy. That kid then went on to do a flash mob at Godiva festival!!
My fun and laughter was at PYF, the whole experience brought me out of my shell. I’ve gone on to set up my own business, if I was still as shy as I was back then, I couldn’t have done that.
Sian Hodder
Years at PYF: 2009-2014
Current Bio: 2:1 in Animal Behaviour and Training (Coventry University); Set up own Dog Training business 2021 – Away with the Furries.
Additional Information
QUALIFICATIONS
We supported young people to take a wide variety of qualifications this year.
• 9 young people passed 20 Maths and English Functional Skills exams.
• 87 young people completed 164 different AQA units including Making Choices, Personal Wellbeing, Make Up, Decisions, and Developing Confidence.
• 5 young people gained a City & Guilds/ PYF digital Badge in Volunteering, and 14 were awarded a Work Experience badge.
• 8 young people successfully completed their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award.
• We supported 22 young people to achieve their skiing awards with Snow Camps; 16 people (including 9 young people) took their Badminton Co-ordinators Training; and 11 took their STA Level 2 Award in Teaching Swimming.
PARTICIPANTS AGE
PYF supports young people aged 8-25, although the majority who attend our programmes are aged 12-18. We are steady increase in the number of older young people (18-25 yrs) attending our English language classes and we are also focusing on the early ages (mainly 8-13 year olds in some programmes where it is difficult/ not appropriate for them to join older groups). PYF’s overall participation level this year returned to pre-pandemic levels.
PARTICIPANTS ETHNICITY
We continue to reach a very diverse group of young people. There has been a significant increase in the number of Black British/ African participants we support.
PARTICIPANTS GENDER
More young women are taking part in our programmes than before. In 2023-24 32% of participants were female compared with 25% the year before. Generally, we have higher numbers of male participants because we run large football and basketball sessions which are aimed at this group.
The Positive Youth Foundation is an award-winning Coventry-based charity that aims to raise the aspirations and life chances of young people between the ages of 8 and 25, particularly those who are facing challenging circumstances.
In 2023/24 we worked with over 1,800 young people.
The charity is run by a team of over 40 staff, trustees and volunteers and relies on grants, donations and securing contracts in order to fund its work.
To find out more about our work visit our web site, our social media or give us a ring.