Changing People's Lives - Spring Edition

Bournemouth/Poole/Christchurch Changing People’s LivesSpring Newsletter 2017 @YMCABournemouthSleep Easy 2017 - The Chatterboxes Double win for YMCA Sponsored &local community present at The Council for Bournemouth at the Early printed bysleep rough so others Disabled Children National Years Sector Awardsdon’t have to. Conference Read more on page 7Read more on page 3 Read more on page 4

Bournemouth/Poole/ChristchurchEx-resident, Pete’s StoryYMCA Bournemouth transform people’s lives and The job grew to encompass housekeeping andhelp them strive to achieve their goals. One of our security and Pete soon became an invaluableex-residents, Pete has had an incredible life journey. member of the staff team.Back in 2013 Pete was a resident at YMCA On March 1st 2017, Pete was promoted toBournemouth’s Delta House Hostel, his life blighted Accommodation and Support Worker where he willby his use of alcohol. After moving on from a stay have a caseload of his own clients to keywork. Peteof a few months where he concentrated on staying says “Everyday I look forward to coming to work,sober he applied for a job as a cleaner for the YMCA it is a new day everyday. Hopefully my story canand was successful. inspire others to achieve their goals”Residents receive free YMCA recently introduced a set of staff awardshair cut thanks to barber called GEM (“Going the Extra Mile”). The Outstanding Contribution Award winner was Pete.Dave BanksDave has been a barber for 3 years and contactedYMCA Bournemouth to see how he can give back tothe local community. Dave came in for a trial sessionand everyone loved his work. Dave said: “It wasJanuary when I decided that this year I was going togive a bit of my spare time to help someone else. TheDoghouse Barber Shop in Birmingham works closelywith YMCA and I saw the work they do on Instagram,this inspired me to contact YMCA Bournemouth. Iloved the first session we did and the feedback wasgreat. All the staff were fantastic and I felt that it wasreally appreciated. I will be running sessions on thefirst Wednesday of every month from now on.” Barber Dave with resident Joe wider community. The shop is on the streets. The Half Time used twice a week for Christians support hub gives people inHalf Time is the name of the shop to pray for God to move in the the sleepsafe programme anto the side of YMCA Bournemouth's community as well as by the opportunity to have a shower,hostel. Since November it has been Chaplaincy Team providing wash clothes and receiveused by the YMCA Chaplaincy Team opportunities for spiritual support to move on into morefor a number of different projects support, prayer, pastoral care, permanent accommodationand has significantly supported YMCA and moral guidance. Half Time and general support cateringBournemouth staff, clients and the provides a support hub for to the needs of the individual. those being supported by the Sleepsafe project. Sleepsafe is a partnership with BCARS and churches in Bournemouth who come together during the winter months by opening their doors to people sleeping

Bournemouth/Poole/Christchurch Local community sleep SEALESEYP rough so others don’t have to; raising over £9,000.Sleep Easy is a national initiative helping raise awareness and funds to support the homeless. Sincethe event began in 2010, more than 8,000 people, from 54 YMCAs have slept out raising more than£1,100,000 to help combat homelessness.Local people helped to raise we held a Sleep Easy event and awareness about the issue of£9,000 for YMCA Bournemouth at we’re thrilled that it was once homelessness and I’m amazedSleep Easy 2017. again a great success. I’d like to at the great work that YMCA does thank everyone who took part which will continue thanks toMore than 80 people took part at and spent the night out with us. everyone sleeping out tonight.”the event on Friday 17th Marchhelping to raise money but also “Thanks to your support we can YMCA Bournemouth would likeawareness of the work of YMCA now help even more people than to thank the support of localBournemouth. Participants were before and support them to realise businesses including Domino’ssponsored to sleep rough in their their full potential. One night out Bournemouth, Creams Café,own cardboard beds for the night. can make a lifetime difference.” Winton Salvation Army and Tesco. The event has also been supportedBournemouth University During the night The Mayor of by students of Bournemouth Bournemouth Cllr Edward Coope University, BU Marketing Societysupported the event with came to talk to the participants and BU Nerve Radio. about why they were taking part.Ian Jones, Head of Regional Harjot, Store Manager at Dominos, Samantha Colmer, Top Fundraiser said: “We are so pleased to beCommunity Partnerships, saying: and a participant at Sleep Easy, able to help YMCA Bournemouth said: “Sleeping rough for a night in its mission to help and support“The university are delighted to was a life changing experience vulnerable people in the town. A for me. You can never truly big well done to everyone involvedbe involved and raise awareness understand how difficult it is being in the sleep out who, whilst young and homeless, unless you enjoying our freshly handmadeof the ongoing homeless issues in experience even a fraction of pizzas, helped to raise these what it’s like sleeping out. funds.”our town.” “I see homeless people all the If you are interested in makingIt was all part of a national YMCA time around where I live and to a donation or volunteering forSleep Easy initiative that saw 16 pull together as a community and YMCA Bournemouth please visitYMCAs come together over two make people aware of the issue is www.ymcabournemouth.org.ukweeks. an achievement let alone raising or email an amazing amount of money.”The money raised will be used [email protected] support YMCA Bournemouth’s The Mayor of Bournemouth said,services, offering homeless “This is a great way of raisingpeople a safe place to stay andthe support they need to moveback to independent living.Jackie Weeden, YMCABournemouth Executive Director,said: “This was the second time

THE CHATTERBOXESPART OF YMCA BOURNEMOUTHThe Chatterboxes present at The Council forDisabled Children National Conference in LondonThe Chatterboxes, part of YMCA Bournemouth, were invited to speak and deliverworkshops at the “Making Participation Work” National Conference in London hostedby The Council for Disabled Children, The Department of Education and KIDS.The Chatterboxes is a youth embed SEND Reforms”. They from Bournemouth, Jacob Smithaction project run by disabled held a question time to see said “we are all passionate aboutyoung people from Bournemouth how professionals and young making a positive change for ourwhose aim is to enable young people would both respond to disabled community and it isdisabled people to have their questions about SEND Reforms heart-warming to know that ourvoice heard, feel safe and to – unsurprisingly answers were little project really does make araise awareness of disabilities. very different. difference.”The day explored how national Raymond Garcia, a Chatterboxes To find out more about the workand local participation of children member stated, “We got heavily of The Chatterboxes please visitand young people supports involved in sharing our own www.ymcabournemouth.org.uk/practitioners and professionals experiences of living with a youth-centres/disability-youth-to effectively embed Special disability; the highs and lows projects.Educational Needs and Disability we have faced and explained(SEND) Legislation throughout our thoughts oftheir organisations and services. how things couldThe Chatterboxes delivered be improved in thea workshop called “Engaging future.”children and young people Being just a smallthrough youth action to youth-led projectJunior Clubs at YMCA BournemouthFusion Youth Centre Townsend Youth CentreSchool years 6-8 Mondays 5-7pm Age 5-8 Wednesdays 5-6pm Age 8-13 Wednesdays 6.30-8.30pm4-6 Old Christchurch Lane, Town Centre, Saturdays 11am-1pmBH1 1NE Holiday sports clubs at Townsend:Pokesdown Youth Centre Junior Clubs INSPIRE School years 6-8 Tuesday 11th & 18th April Thursday 13th & 20th April Tuesdays 4-6pm Jewell Road, BH8 0LT108 Stourvale Road, BH6 5JBFor more information contact [email protected]

YOUTH PROJECTS PART OF YMCA BOURNEMOUTH Youth and Housing team building at Sandyholme YMCA Bournemouth’s Youth and Housing Teams spent a day in February team building at YMCA Bournemouth’s Sandyholme Retreat in the Purbecks. It was a chance for both teams to get to know each other better and look at ways they could work together in the future, sharing skills and experiences with each other. The staff took part in lots of activities looking at their personalities and whatMeet Jamie skills they bring to their teams. They then took some time out to visit the local beach and enjoy the Dorset scenery. It was a great dayPrevious TEAM Volunteer Jamie becomes Youth bringing teams together.Administrator for the Youth Department at YMCABournemouth.“TEAM Youth Worker Vince used to hold workshops at myPrimary School and from these I became a regular volunteer.After two years of volunteering once a week, I was approachedby Glen who asked me if I wanted to be a co-leader in a newSteering Group project he was starting called Next Generation.I was happy to accept and I worked on reaching out to localbusinesses and offered to support them in being more mindfulto young people.After A Levels I started an apprenticeship but this wasn’t whatI wanted to do and I decided to apply for the Youth Adminrole at YMCA Bournemouth. Now, in week 4 of my role, I workwith the people that shaped my life when I was younger. Thepeople who made me the person I am and it feels like I’vecome home.”Heather Torrens, Teacher at Bethany Junior School said:“Jamie [was] a wonderful solid, strong, considerate,thoughtful young man who was a gentle and maturerole model, full of respect and integrity. He took to theTEAM youth club from the outset and it’s so fab to hearhe has the opportunity to continue to influence otherEarth Day Event inyoung people.” BournemouthOn Saturday 22nd April, a group of young volunteers The event is being held on Earth Day and the youngfrom the YMCA Bournemouth Youth Projects Office people will organise a range of activities aimed atwill be holding their first ‘Youth Awareness Event’ at creating an environmentally friendly community.Horseshoe Common. Amongst other topics the overall Activities will include using recycled waste to createaim of the event is to raise the positive profile of young arts and crafts. The Chatterboxes (part of YMCApeople in Bournemouth, whilst tackling discrimination Bournemouth) will be building giant dice whereagainst age, race, disability and sexuality. members of the community will be invited to write messages of support to young people with disabilities.YMCA Bournemouth Youth Projects and the young Young people will also be creating acoustic music andpeople from the SAL Project (Spread Awareness and in the evening members of the local community will beLove) have partnered with other organisations & local invited to visit Fusion Youth Centre to listen to music,companies including Body Positive Dorset, Space poetry and songs created by local young people.Youth Project and Vinyl Music Shop.

YMCA Bournemouth and Dorset more thanks to The Junction Blind Association have launched Sports & Leisure Centre. their Feel Good Festival taking place on Saturday 24th June at YMCA Bournemouth’s Charity Boscombe Beach. Running events from 2016 will be returning. There will be This charity partnership brings two kid’s races at 5pm (1k & together the local community, 2k) then a 5 mile race with a businesses and charities for a twist! Introducing our Zig Zag day of fun fitness activities. The Challenge - teams/individuals festival opens at 11am and runs will run 5 miles including a team until 11pm with various free relay of the Southbourne zig zag. activities for the whole family from fitness sessions to kids After dark Dorset Blind will host sporting challenges. The event their Bright for Sight Night run. day will start with HIIT training, followed by family zumba, Want to know more? Visit the pilates, dance fitness and much website details below.How the money will help: c£r5e5aMtpiIrvoLevElyidRienUsteNarrat&cmt watitehriathlsetiropeanraenbltes.children5PtoM - £5 KIDS ENTER RACES & REGISTER FOR FREECHAZLIGENZGAEGfc£ah1cilidl0it.apteroivnitdeersactotiyosn&bebtowaerdengathmeepsatroenhtealpn1dK56&MPMI2LKE- R£RA1U5CNES ACTIVITIES AT (£12PP GROUP ENTRY)£100 FEELGOODDORSET.EVENTBRITE.CO.UK provides cooking & baking equipment to /FeelGoodDorset17help socialising between the family. THE JUNCTION PART OF YMCA BOURNEMOUTHBroadstone Ladies’ Over Broadstone Ladies Over 50’s Club members first50’s Club - 30 years and met in 1986 when they played together at Poolestill going strong Sports Centre, as part of an organised session for over 50’s incorporating badminton, keep fit, short tennis and racket ball. This was a very social group with 40-50 members playing weekly. Friendships were quickly made and when Poole Sports Centre shut down and there were no other organised sessions available, a group of ladies, who had become very close decided to set up their own Badminton Club based at The Junction Sports & Leisure Centre, (previously Broadstone Leisure Centre). They have been enjoying their badminton sessions here for over 10 years. Well done ladies keep it up!

A double celebration for YMCA Bournemouth at the Early Years Sector AwardsWe are delighted to announce that Juliet Gentry, our Early Years Lead, was awardedBournemouth Children Centre Worker of the Year 2016 and Louise Everett wasawarded Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo) of 2016 for her work at Teddy’s Pre-School. In addition, Claire Melly from Teddy’s Place Nursery was nominated by parents from the nursery for the Childcare and Children’s Centre Awards. She may not have won this time but her nominations show her passion and commitment for supporting the nursery children: “Claire looked after my son for 2 years and recognised that he needed some additional support with speaking and language...“..She put everything in place to make sure he gotthe help he needed”“…she’s so good at her job, to be honest it doesn’tseem to me that she treats it as a job. You can seehow lovely she is around the children.”We are very proud of the hard work our teams put YMCA Bournemouthinto supporting vulnerable families & making a huge opens new Childdifference to children lives, creating opportunitiesfor change. Contact CentreA Child Contact Centre offers a safe and comfortableenvironment for children of separated families to spend timewith parents or family members.Southbourne Contact Centre can offer a variety of rooms with avariety of activities to encourage interaction.Finding a place that allows the parent without everyday careof their child(ren) to be a parent can sometimes be hard. YMCABournemouth Contact Centres will be able to provide this place. We offer three levels of service: • Supported Contact • Supervised Contact • HandoverFor the latest Contact Centre information including locations, prices and rules please visit:www.ymcabournemouth.org.uk/childrens-centres/contact-centre

Thank you We would like to say a big ‘Thank you’ to everyone who has supported us in the last quarter. Here are just a few: Feel Good Festival Dorset sponsors: Nationwide, Parley Optometrists, The Junction Sports & Leisure Centre, Sainsbury’s and Southbourne & Boscombe Rotary.The Dagny Raymond Sleep Easy sponsors: Bournemouth University,Charitable Trust for their Domino’s Bournemouth, Creams Cafe, Stkind donation of £890.00 Michael’s School, Winton Salvation Army,Rebbeck Brothers for their Tesco and RedManhattan Photographykind donation Canford Magna Church for their kind donation of £287YMCA Bournemouth chosen by Ferndown Golf Club’s Captain as Charity of the Year.YMCA Bournemouth are proud to partner with Ferndown Golf Club as their charity of theyear. It will be an exciting year where we can raise awareness at Ferndown’s annualcompetition days including their sell out May Festival of Golf. In addition, all money raisedfrom Ferndown’s Alliss Invitational and other club events is split between the Captain’scharities.Mr Stuart Mackenzie, Ferndown Golf Club Captain said “I chose YMCABournemouth as they are a local charity helping to support vulnerablepeople in the heart of the local community. I hope this year we raise vitalfunds but, most importantly, raise awareness of the great work they dowith the homeless, young people and families.”We look forward to working with Stuart and everyone at Ferndown GolfClub.We need your How can you help?support Volunteering Can you support our work through volunteering? Do you want to work in a supportive environment helping others, gaining skills and experience along the way? We are always looking for volunteers in our events team, children’s centres and youth teams. Please email [email protected] Text YMCA38 £10/£20/£30 to 70070 to donate or visit www.ymcabournemouth.org.uk