FEB 18_Newsletter

WYZBULLETIN >>>Edition. 3, Feb 2018<<<

Reet Good Beer Fest is Back!After a year off in 2017, the Reet Good Beer Festival returns this year with a bang.The marquee has been booked, the beers are being ordered and we’re well on our way toconfirming all the fantastic entertainment and music that will grace the stage of 2018’s ReetGood Beer Festival.The dates have now been confirmed and the beer festival will be hosted earlier in Summer thisyear - with the dates confirmed as Thursday 21st - Sunday 24th June.Once again be offering hundreds of bitters, ales and ciders and will also be heralding the returnof the Prosecco & Gin bars, bringing a great selection of gin flavours and a bottle of tasty fizz.Details of the music and themes for each night are currently being confirmed but every day ofthe festival will see fantastic live entertainment including the addition this year of a BavarianNight, with some fantastic live German music and audience participation!All proceeds from the event will be coming directly to Wigan Youth Zone.Our fundraising team are currently looking for local businesses to help support the event withsponsorship, there are a number of sponsorship packages still available - email [email protected] to find out more.Tickets will be going on sale soon, via the http://www.reetgoodbeerfest.co.uk/

New Cohort Started We welcomed 16 young people to the first day of the new Get A Job course on January 15th. Seventeen 16 - 21 year olds attended the first session, taking on team-building challenges and getting to know each other. The Get a Job course is a fantastic programme offered to young people aged 16 - 21 who are not currently in education. The course allows young people to improve their team work skills, and confidence, build their CV writing and interview techniques as well as gain accredited qualifications. Over the next 8 weeks, the students will learn money managing, customer service and telephone skills, interview preparation and techniques for presentations. They will also attend a company visit day, mock interviews and our team will even support them with applying for roles. We’ll keep you posted on the outcome for this group...Counselling Service Completes its First YearWigan Youth Zone’s counselling service began as a trial in February 2017 and has gone fromstrength to strength throughout the year. It offers a person-centred approach for young people anda range of therapeutic tools helping young people with persistent behavioural or emotional issuesincluding anxiety, depression, loss and relationships.There have been 247 counselling appointments over seven months this year and we’ve seenpositive feedback from all the young people engaged with the service in their coping, confidenceand perforemance.

Youth Zone Volunteers Recognised at Regional Awards Ceremony Two of Wigan Youth Zone’s most dedicated volunteers Sean Dwyer and Imogen Murray, have been recognised at the Lancashire Boys and Girls Clubs Association (LABGC) Awards evening on 5th December. Sean Dwyer won the Runner-Up Adult Volunteer of the Year Award after another year of fantastic dedication to the charity. Involved from the very start of the Youth Zone’s journey, Sean has volunteered at the organisation for over 4 years, recently focusing on the WYZ Market Stall in Wigan Market, selling discount sportswear and raising funds for the Youth Zone. Sean said at the presentation event; “I am very pleased about winning the award; it proves that hard work really does pay off.”Imogen Murray is one of 11 young leaders at the Youth Zone who dedicates hours each week tohelp support young members. Aged 14 – 17, young leaders gain valuable experience and skills aswell as helping a local charity in the process.The LABGC awarded Imogen with the Young Volunteer of the Year Award, after she was nominatedfrom the Youth Zone team for her positive impact on the younger members and her commitment oftime to sessions.Imogen was ecstatic about the accolade, saying;“I am over the moon about getting this award as I feel like all my hours and hard-work have beenrecognised. I like the fact they do these awards for volunteers and young leaders too as I feel likethis will boost other people’s confidence, like it did mine.”“I’ve gained so much from being a Wigan Youth Zone Young Leader, I was quite scared when I firststarted as I thought volunteers would be separate from staff but it’s completely different - it’s like onebig family.”

Volunteer Fred Recognised for Support in ShakerleyWYZ Market Stall Raises In January 2018, we presented Fredrecord £20,000 in 2017 Rigby with our ‘Partner Volunteer of the Year’ Award - a special recognition we2017 was another successful for the WYZ market give out each year to a volunteer whostall, raising almost £20,000 for the Youth Zone. has supported our activities via one of our organisational partners.The stall donated by Wigan Market to the YouthZone charity, offers the youth zone another Fred is the Caretaker at Shakerleyfantastic fundraising opportunity with all proceeds Community Centre and volunteers hisfrom the WYZ stall coming directly to the Youth time every Wednesday evening to helpZone charity. The stall also offers young people the Youth Zone deliver fantastic youththe ability to learn valuable work and enterprise sessions to the local community.skills as part of the Get a Job course. The Shakerley Youth Group is partSelling sportswear, trainers and other sports of Wigan Youth Zone’s Outreachgear, donated from DW Sports - the staff have programme, the aim of which is tomanaged to raise a fantastic £20,000 in sales in reach even more young people with2017 and hope to better it next year. our positive work, regardless of their distance from the Youth Zone.The stall’s success can be solely attributed to asmall number of volunteers who dedicate their People like Fred help the Youth Zonetime and ensure the stall is open 6 days a week. take our work further and wider - toIn particular Sean Dwyer, who has donated a more young people who need it.significant amount of time to the stall throughout2017.

WYZ Christmas Dinner 2017In December, with support from the local businesscommunity and volunteers, the Youth Zone hostedanother fantastic Family Christmas Meal for almost200 deserving local young people and their families.The Youth Zone staff and volunteers hosted thecharity event on Saturday 23rd December andensured that all those in attendance enjoyed anextra special Christmas treat.Guests enjoyed a fantastic Christmas lunch with allthe trimmings courtesy of Andy Birch, OperationsManager from DW Stadium and his team ofvolunteers.In addition, the event had a host of fantasticentertainment including a visit from Santa Claus,sing-a-long Christmas carols, festive games andactivities for young people, inflatable snow globeand Arts & Craft activities.All the staff and helpers on the day volunteeredtheir time to support the cause, almost 50 peoplepeople came along to help serve food, deliveractivities or dress as elves!All those attending the event were chosen fromYouth Zone members or referred from other localyouth organisations - these were identified aspeople who needed a little help or respite thisChristmas and deserved a Christmas to remember.The young people who attended the event weregiven Christmas presents and family hampers to

take away with them, donated by Key 103’s Cash4 Kids and Wish FM’s Mission Christmas.The Youth Zone also received bags and bagsof chocolate, dried and canned goods from thelocal community - all of which went towards familyChristmas hampers which were also given out onthe day - to ease the pressure for some familiesthis Christmas.We’d like to say a massive thank you to all ofthose who donated money, gifts or their time tothe Christmas Meal 2017 including Santander,DW Stadium, Chadwick’s Emporium of Fine Foodsand with special thanks to Wigan Council, whosestaff significantly supported the event and donatedpresents and vouchers.

Matthew Melling 5k a day Volunteer Dodgeball Coach, Matthew Melling has lead the fundraising effort for the Dodgeball World Cup by running a 5K every day. Over the Christmas period, Matthew made it day 365, after running every single day for a whole year! Matthew will continue with his mammoth challenge tin 2018 and is hoping to raise even more for the WYZ Dodgeball Warriors. Run the 5k for Wigan Dodgeball TeamTo help support the fundraising effort, we’re still looking for runners to take on the Wigan 5kfor the Dodgeball Team’s Trip.Run the 5k with colleagues, family or join our Youth Zone team and help the DodgeballWarriors represent Wigan in New York. No registration fee is required, we just ask thatrunners raise a minimum of £50 in sponsorship to help go towards the Dodgeball trip.If you would like to run the 5K for Wigan Dodgeball Warriors, contact Ian on 01942 612061or email [email protected] to find out more.

WYZ Dodgeball Team Aim for New YorkWian Youth Zone’s own dodgeball team, ‘Wigan Dodgeball Warriors’ have been invited to attendthe Dodgeball World Cup in Madison Square Gardens, representing the UK.After winning a regional competition and playing at the Manchester Dodgeball World Cup, eightof our young members were asked to represent England at the inagural World Cup at MadisonSquare Gardens, New York on 4th & 5th August this year.All members of the team have been attending dodgeball sessions at Wigan Youth Zone over thepast two years and are now ramping up their training in readiness for New York. WYZ Dodgeball team member Harvey, said of the opportunity; “We’re so excited to be going to New York, I’ve never been before and this is a once in a lifetime chance! We’re working really hard every week and hope to make Wigan proud. “I’d like to say a huge, huge thank you to all of those who have helped raise funds for the our team - you’re making our dreams come true!” Wigan Youth Zone staff and supporters have been taking to the streets, water and even skies to raise funds for the Dodgeball team and their trip. Last July, 12 staff members from the Youth Zone took part in a sponsored sky dive to raise money for WYZ Dodgeball Warriors. The team need to raise £15,000 to get them to Madison Square Gardens, you can support them and find out more at www.wiganyouthzone.org, or join the runners taking on the 5k for the team in March (see opposite).

Youth Zone Combating Childhood Obesity with Week ofHealthy ActivitiesWigan Youth Zone has marked National Obesity Awareness Week with a host of activities in January,geared towards healthy eating and keeping fit.Britain is the most obese country in Europe, with rates steadily climbing for the past few years. The9th – 15th January marked Obesity Awareness Week, an event set nationally to combat the growingweight problem in the UK. As part of their commitment to healthy living amongst young people, staff at the Youth Zone used the awareness week as an opportunity to ramp up specific activities towards fitness, healthy eating and learning about a balanced diet. Events throughout the week included ‘Cycle for your Smoothie’ activity, where Youth Zone members had to mix their own smoothies using the Inspiring Healthy Lifestyles ‘Bike-Blender’ and made their own fruit kebabs. Members of all ages were encouraged to think more about their food choices, with targeted sessions over the week in all areas of the Youth Zone and quick challenges aimed to get young people moving.

December’s Business Breakfast In December, the Youth Zone hosted their final Business Breakfast of 2017 and welcomed over 120 local business men and women for the popular networking event. Each WYZ Business Breakfast welcomes a notable and distinguished guest and December was no exception, welcoming Bill Holroyd CBE to talk about his wealth of business experience and journey from boy to sucessful entrepreneur. Mr Holyroyd also gave insight into his philanthropic investments including his work with Onside and building the network of Youth Zones. Bill said of his first visit to Bolton Lads & Girls Club which lead to the inception of the Onside network; “I didn’t know the problem until I saw the solution - Youth Zones gave young people somewhere to go, something to do and someone to talk to.” Attendees also heard from representatives from World Dodgeball Association about their collaborative work with Wigan Youth Zone and an update on the Youth Zone from our Executive Director, Anthony Ashworth-Steen. The next Business Breakfast is scheduled for Fri 2nd March 2018, where we will be welcoming guest speaker Ross Warburton, Executive Director at Warburton’s. Book your place now, email events@ wiganyouthzone.org or call 01942 612 061 and speak to Sharon McLaren.

Senior Climbing LeagueOur climbing team have launched a Senior WinterClimbing League to engage even more youngpeople onto our 10-metre climbing wall.The league was launched on January 19th andis open to all Senior members of the Youth Zone,with weekly climbing routes and speed challengesset up to test those who have entered.Head of Climbing, Chris Quigley said:“The idea is about getting more people towardsthe goal of lifelong fitness, finding something youenjoy, and getting fit that way.”“It will require a mixing of climbing techniques,and we’re going to chuck in some surprises alongthe way.The Senior Winter Climbing League will run for sixweeks, with the champion of the league crownedat the end of February and awarded a £50 giftvoucher.Vacancies at Wigan Youth ZoneWe currently have a number of vacancies at Wigan Youth Zone, go to www.wiganyouthzone.org to find out more.Grants & Trusts ManagerCirca £30,000 pro rata (4 day per week)Music & Media Youth WorkerSalary: £7.50 – £9.50 per hour (Up to 21 hours per week)Art Youth WorkerSalary: £7.50 – £9.50 per hour (15 hours per week)Part-Time Art Youth Worker (Mat Leave Cover)Salary: £7.50 – £9.50 per hour (21 hours per week)Youth Worker (Girls Room)Salary: £7.50 – £9.50 per hour (16 hours per week)Recreation Youth Play WorkerSalary: £7.50 – £9.50 per hour (2 Posts - 13 hrs & 14 hrs)