Words by Smiley Team
From uncomfortable peer pressure to awkward physical transitions, adolescence is not an easy period. Working to ease young people through this difficult time, All Saints Youth Project (ASYP), situated just south of Birmingham, offers a space for teenagers to relax, socialise and speak to adults they can trust.
Any young people aged 10 upwards are welcome at ASYP, where they can join in with activities ranging from music and dance to sports and cookery. The centre recently benefitted from a fundraising project by Birmingham Michelin star chef Brad Carter, who they hope will pay a visit to teach them new skills.
As it’s co-founder, Mary Miles explained, “We’ve got a byline which is ‘All Saints Youth Project, not just a club’, which is trying to define it by the fact we have a lot going on.”
As well as recreational activities, they have in the past branched out to help the families of the young people who attend their sessions by offering parent support. They also offer young people the opportunity to have counselling from trained, on-site children’s therapists, instead of having to endure the usual waiting times for other counselling services in the area.
“Now everyone is very concerned about the mental health of young people,” said Mary. “There were a lot of reports by the Children’s Society and others about the mental health of young people in this country and how worried people were about this. So we are recruiting a second counsellor because when we were hit by Covid-19, the need increased.”
Putting inclusivity first and foremost, they ensure that all four sessions a week, as well as their holiday schemes, are open to young people with disabilities. Two of their weekly sessions, called Gateway to Inclusion, are aimed more specifically at teenagers with disabilities because they hope to have a 50:50 mix of young people with and without disabilities.
They accept everyone, from young people facing standard issues associated with adolescence to those who have particularly difficult home lives. While some choose to come to the sessions just because they want to, others may be referred by the police, schools or social services.
“It’s for anyone who wants to come,” Miles elaborated. “We have no restrictions on who comes - just an age restriction. So if you come on a Tuesday or Thursday night there’ll be a multitude of kids all doing different things, working together and enjoying life together.”
Last year, when the pandemic hit, they immediately moved online to continue offering support to young people. They held telephone and face to face counselling sessions, delivered activity packs, food parcels and Christmas presents to homes, as well as signposting people to other support services.
They assisted the families of young people through online support groups and individual family support sessions over the telephone or online. In total, they have been in contact with over 350 young people and 205 families throughout the lockdown.
Founded by Miles and her husband about 20 years ago, ASYP developed over time to incorporate the variety of services it offers today. Their work provides a vital space outside of education for young people to develop and flourish.
If you wish to support their work, the best way you can do so is to donate to ASYP through a standing order or a direct debit which they can Gift Aid.
They also welcome volunteers to organise activities or simply to offer a willing ear when the young people need someone to talk to.
For more information visit allsaintsyouthproject.org.uk or contact [email protected].
