Hunmanby Youth Club – A voluntary youth club supported by North Yorkshire Youth
Hunmanby Youth Club is a fantastic example of what can be achieved when local people come together to support young people. Led by dedicated volunteers Sonia, Sonya and Gemma, alongside a growing team of community volunteers, the club provides a safe, welcoming, and engaging space for young people in the village. Meeting on the first […]
Snainton Youth Club’s Big Green Workshop
Volunteer-led youth clubs play a vital role in creating opportunities for young people, and Snainton Youth Club is a fantastic example of what can be achieved when local people give their time to support their community. With support from North Yorkshire Youth, the volunteer team at Snainton Youth Club continues to provide engaging activities that […]
Carlton Youth Club – A voluntary youth club supported by North Yorkshire Youth
Carlton Youth Club is a fantastic example of the difference that dedicated volunteers can make in their local community. Established after recognising a lack of opportunities for local young people, the club has grown into a thriving and much-loved provision in the village. Led by Abby and supported by a committed team of volunteers, what […]
Thirsk Warhammer Club – A voluntary youth club supported by North Yorkshire Youth
Tucked away upstairs in Thirsk Library is a thriving group of young people brought together by a shared passion for Warhammer and tabletop gaming. Led by Chris, the group provides a welcoming space where young people can paint miniatures, develop strategies, play games, and spend time with others who share their interests. The sessions offer […]
Clare’s Autumn Blog
Re-writing history, neutralizing bad memories, looking for positives in the everyday – these are some of the things we have been looking at in my mentoring sessions for the past couple of months. Very often, the young people I work with have experienced some kind of trauma. In our sessions we look at ways of […]
North Yorkshire Youth’s (NYY) annual Calendar Competition
North Yorkshire Youth’s (NYY) annual Calendar Competition is now in its fifth year and has showcased stunning photographs of York & North Yorkshire, taken by young people over this time. The images have featured stunning scenery from across the region, displaying local beauty in many forms. The photographs pictured, are a small sample of these; […]
Achieve young people get creative with Whitby Museum Art Gallery
This summer, I have had the pleasure of accompanying young people on the Achieve project to a set of one-of-a-kind art workshops at the Whitby Pannett Art Gallery, led by international artist Patrick Waterhouse. The aim of this exciting work has been to ignite creativity and provide a unique educational opportunity to help broaden the […]
Games Are More Than Just Fun!
Having worked with young people for over 40 years, I have found one of the most effective tools I have in my locker is a humble set of Dobble cards. Working 1-1 as a Youth Mentor is extremely rewarding and over time, strong bonds usually develop. At the start however, it is important to build […]
Why I enjoy being a youth mentor
I have been lucky enough to maintain a career in youth work for the past 13 years, driven by the positive difference I know that youth work can have on young peoples’ lives. I greatly enjoy my role as Youth Mentor as I feel it is very rewarding being able to witness first-hand the positive […]
Summer Activities with the Achieve Project
Over the summer months, mentoring slows down for the Achieve Project, as young people are not in school. Despite this, I continue to stay in touch with the young people involved to ensure that support is still available, especially as this can be an isolating time for some young people. I offer face to face […]
Northallerton Sexual Health Clinic
Through my role as a Change Direction Youth Mentor and Senior Youth Worker at Northallerton Youth Space, I have had the privilege of teaming up with Yorsexual Health to develop and facilitate a young person‘s sexual health drop-in clinic in Northallerton. Whilst mentoring young people one-to-one and collaborating with them in a larger group setting […]
Detached Youth Work in Filey – Supporting Young People in their community
We have been reminded recently of the vital role that Detached youth work can play in engaging young people, through our ongoing work in Filey. This can be especially valuable in a small coastal town like Filey, where access to opportunities and services can be limited. North Yorkshire Youth (NYY) Youth Workers have continued to […]
Tang Hall Reaching Out Project
Tang Hall ‘Reaching Out’ is a 3-year project, delivered in partnership with North Yorkshire Youth (NYY), The Conservation Volunteers (TCV), and Choose2Youth and is funded by The Lottery Communities Fund. The project seeks to work with young people and families in the Tang Hall area, encouraging more involvement and better use of green spaces in […]
My career in youth work
I am Edwina and I am currently NYY’s Youth and Community Development Worker for Richmondshire. I have worked with children and young people for over 40 years, beginning my career working in early years, before entering the youth work sector, where I have spent the past 25 years. In my current role, I help communities […]
The importance of Youth Provision
Supporting positive mental health and wellbeing is central to our work with young people, particularly during adolescence and the transition into adulthood. During this time, young people experience physical, emotional, and cognitive changes as well as many other challenges in their lives, including exam pressures, maintaining healthy relationships and worries about future education or work. […]
The benefits of youth clubs
When I was younger, I used to go to a local youth club. I’d hang out with friends, listen to music, and never really think much more about it. Today, I’m fortunate to hold a full-time role that allows me to be involved in several youth clubs. I’ve had the privilege of meeting some incredible […]
Volunteers Week 2025
As we enter volunteer’s week, it is brilliant to see North Yorkshire Youth’s (NYY) volunteer schemes being promoted far and wide. These volunteer schemes include ‘The Buddy Network’ and ‘The Independent Visitors Scheme’; both offering extremely valuable support to young people across North Yorkshire. North Yorkshire Council has published a great interview with two of […]
Creativity and Innovation
Being a Youth Mentor on the Achieve project has afforded me the privilege of mentoring the same cohort of young people over a longer period of time, which has resulted in the development of strong, trusted, relationships with them. Through my mentoring sessions and the provision of extra-curricular activities, I have been able to watch […]
Mentoring in different settings
During my work as a Change Direction Youth Mentor in Scarborough, I meet with young people in a range of settings, including the community, Mainstream Schools and quite often in Alternative Education Provisions. Each setting I work in is quite different and has its own merits. Community appointments can provide a more natural, environment, where […]
Celebrating the Heart of Our Youth Work: Volunteers Make the Difference
As part of Volunteers’ Week (2nd–8th June), North Yorkshire Youth is celebrating the dedicated individuals across our communities who give their time and energy to support young people. Volunteers are at the heart of everything we do, helping to run youth clubs, plan exciting activities, and provide safe, welcoming spaces for young people to thrive. We […]
Working with Young People: Meeting Them Where They Are
Working with young people is a privilege that brings both challenge and purpose. It’s not always about solutions, more often, it’s about presence. Each one-to-one session opens a window into a young person’s world; whether that’s marked by humour, silence, frustration, or hope. Many young people carry invisible weight, which could include family tension, identity […]
Staff Wellbeing & Stress Awareness Month 2025
April is National Stress Awareness Month, which is an annual event that has been observed every year since 1992. The Stress Management Society who lead on this initiative, aim to help individuals and organisations recognise and reduce stress to foster happier, healthier, and more resilient lives. North Yorkshire Youth (NYY) has reflected upon their own efforts in […]
Supporting Young People in Craven
I have the privilege of working with young people in the Craven area, in a variety of settings including schools, colleges and community spaces. I meet young people wherever they feel most comfortable and are most likely to engage. My role is to provide them with the nurture and support they need to navigate the […]
Promoting the Outdoors and Positive Activities through Inspirational Mentoring
Previously, I worked in secondary schools for 7 years, and this gave me an invaluable insight into the concerns young people have and the types of issues they struggle with. I work across the Harrogate area building relationships with young people and being their ‘go to’ person for sharing concerns and worries. Young people also […]
Insight from a Youth and Community Development Worker for North Yorkshire Youth
Returning to work after maternity leave in 2023 and then heading off again for another maternity leave at the end of the year has given me the perfect balance of professional growth and personal fulfilment. My role as a Youth and Community Development Worker for North Yorkshire Youth (NYY) is both rewarding and inspiring. One […]
NYY working with York St John University to help to inspire future Youth Workers
Last year, NYY was asked to deliver a presentation to Criminology students at York St John University for their Youth and Resistance module. As a Change Direction Youth Mentor, I was happy to do this with the hope of inspiring our next generation of youth workers. The presentation encapsulated information about the Change Direction mentoring scheme, […]
Mentoring support on the Achieve Project
After graduation with a degree in Public Health and Community Studies, I noticed a role being advertised with North Yorkshire Youth (NYY) as a Youth Mentor on the Achieve project in Scarborough. I knew immediately this was what I wanted to do, and I was lucky enough to be successfully appointed and couldn’t wait to […]
Strangers to Friends
North Yorkshire Youth (NYY) deliver on an exciting project in Redcar and Scarborough called ‘Achieve.’ The project offers one-to-one mentoring sessions for eligible students to support them with daily challenges they might be facing both personally and at school. As part of the Achieve project, young people also have the opportunity to take part in […]
Eastfield Youth Club Celebrates Six Years of Success
Eastfield Youth Club recently marked its sixth anniversary, a significant milestone in its journey of supporting and empowering young people. Open to young people aged 11 to 18, the club has seen some of its original attendees—who first walked through the doors on opening night—continue to engage and support the club as they transition into […]
Supporting Young People through the Winter Months
Young people may often find that facing a new year and new challenges, can evoke feelings of anxiety, uncertainty or even fear. The cold winter months can add to these challenges, when even getting out of our homes of just facing people can feel difficult. When all of this is added to the pressures of […]
My Journey to Youth Work
During Covid I started to volunteer with North Yorkshire Youth (NYY) in Northallerton. The Youth Club was closed, so a Northallerton Youth Worker and I spent time on an evening, walking around doing welfare checks on local young people and just generally checking in on them. I did not know what to expect but enjoyed […]
Independent Visitor’s Day
Today is National Independent Visitor day. Today we raise awareness of who Independent Visitors are, the great work volunteers do and how to get involved. An Independent Visitor (IV) is a volunteer who can provide long term, reliable and appropriate adult-child friendship through visits and activities to a young person living in care. An IV […]