For a few years, we have worked intensively with our local Secondary School investing about 40 hours a week in students who are at risk of permanent exclusion. This has been an incredibly rewarding period during which we have made a significant difference in both staff and young people’s lives and seen first-hand what life is like for many households and teenagers in our community.

We implemented a new reward and sanction procedure that led to a more affirming culture and reduced conflict between staff and students.

We delivered training in Restorative Practices for staff and support team at the Alternative Provision Unit, which helped to support the new culture that was developing.

6 out of 8 Year 10 and 11 students completed a Level 1 Certificate in Skills for Training, Employment and Personal Development. 2 of whom were offered apprenticeships with the local council.

We worked closely with approximately 20 students from Year 7 through to Year 11. This was done by providing one on one support as well as delivering classes and small group sessions on subjects such as bullying, anger management and restorative practice in dealing with conflict.

We supported teachers and TAs through practical classroom help, debriefing and collaborating to create management plans for students.

In the year 2018/19 153 young people had regular contact with us through an average of 92hours per month of youth work (not just schools work in Reading).

The Dealing With Depression Course provides a service to both those who suffer with depression and those who care for them. Participants who have completed the course have gone on to get more involved in the community, helping with SYC and other local organisations. Our Community Dinners have sprung out of the DWD course as a place where those who struggle with isolation can gather at the local pub on the last Friday of each month, to share a meal and connect with others in a safe environment.

The Families Course has had parents and grandparents, and aunties participating, thus serving to link members of the community across generations. We run the course at a local primary school making it accessible to parents whose children attend the school and impacting the school community. The name of the course has circumvented stigma to do with classical parenting courses and means that some families have been reached who perhaps would not otherwise be helped.

The South Reading Fun Day is attended by 4000-6000 members of the community. It is one of the few if not the only community event that is attended by entire families from all corners of Whitley and South Reading. Some have reported how they have had historical feuds resolved as a result of connecting at one of these Fun Days. Others comment how they just love to come and connect with their neighbours, whilst still others are amazed to meet near neighbours for the first time. The Fun Days and Street Parties are very practical ways in which the community can come together to make, build and repair connections.

In 2018/19 we ran 5 festivals and street parties attended by 1098 people.

We have had the privilege of working in genuine partnership with a number of organisations and their representatives as we carry out our youth work and community work in our various locations. Here are a few of those:

Reading Borough Council: The Parks and Green Spaces team have made our Re:Start Program with students at risk of exclusion possible. Two of their team join us each day of the program to teach the students horticulture skills and familiarise them with what it might mean to become and apprentice with them. This partnership in turn put RBC in the running for gold in the Britain in Bloom national contest… which we are glad to say they achieved. The Neighbourhood Initiatives Officers from the Council have been exceptional colleagues and friends from the day we moved to South Reading; introducing us to relevant networks, advising us on processes and helping us access funding and support. They in turn made use of our research report to inform their strategy in the area for 2 or 3 years.

The Alternative Provision Unit at our local Secondary School in South Reading. The staff here invited us to support them in their work with students at risk of exclusion. We joined their team and enjoyed a great partnership sharing skills, knowledge and support each day on the unit.

Reach: This is a Reading-based Schools Work charity that has partnered with us in our work with students at risk of exclusion in the local Secondary School. From the school’s perspective we are one team; in fact the team going into the school is made up of both SYC and Reach staff and volunteers. The partnership provides high levels of support, shared knowledge and shared networks.

Chapter 2: A local charity that works to mentor boys growing up without a father-figure. The founder of this charity has been a youth work mentor on the Re:start team with us, doing great work with our students.

Reading Voluntary Action: Through this organisation, we have recruited two of our administrators and all our bookkeepers to date! Our Street Parties Manual has been a resource to them as they support and encourage community members across Reading to run Street Parties where they live. This partnership continues to grow in encouraging ways.

The South Reading Churches: This is the group of churches that initially invited SYC to base ourselves in South Reading. We partner with them in local community work including the events like the South Reading Churches Fun Day.

The Parish of St. Agnes, St. Paul and St. Barnabas: The Anglican churches in the parish have been proud partners of our work. They took the lead in inviting SYC to relocate to South Reading and assist with local youth and community mission; they have been faithful and generous financial supporters of our work. They continue to be energetic in their commitment to local mission in partnership with us.

Tyndale Baptist Church: We have our office in their building and pay a reduced rent; but they are incredibly generous permitting us to utilise their premises at no extra cost for courses and events that we run.

Reading Lion’s Club: We are very grateful to the Lion’s Club who have helped to fund our Re:Start program and our Festival Trailer.

Springboard: A Reading-based grant making trust that has supported our Re:Start program for 2 years.

In South Reading, we plan to divide our youth work between the Secondary School and after school programs so we can have even greater, long term impact in the lives of these young people and others like them in our community.

You will have seen much in the news about County Lines drug runs. Young people are most likely to be recruited for this ‘work’ between the school gate and home front door; those who are most at risk have chaotic home lives and are at best unhappy at school; at worst, excluded. Many young people in our community are prime targets for recruiters and risks have increased during Covid lockdown, so we want to respond further to this need.

• We are training sixth formers to be mentors for younger students who are at risk of isolation, unhealthy relationships or exclusion, and those whose home life makes normal functioning a challenge.
• We will be starting after school programs for young people engaging particularly with those who avoid going home and those who are not in school. (This is funding dependant). 

We are raising funds for a Youth Café Bus as a mobile base for our after schools program.