Villages invest in youth workers to ‘meet the needs of young people’

A parish has decided to fund a community youth worker to function exclusively for the community.
By The Newsroom
Published 24th Apr 2013, 16:21 BST

The villages of Storrington and Sullington will employ a part-time youth worker to organise activities and events for the area’s young people.

Parish councillor Lisa Wheatley said: “The Parish Council feels that our youth worker will have the unique opportunity to plan a range of tangible, activity based events tailored to the needs of the local community rather than a more generic plan which caters for a number of different areas.

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“Consulting with local youths to ascertain their views is a key element in making sure that the services we provide accurately address their needs.

“The Parish Council will work closely with our community youth worker to provide a range of activities and events that realise the potential of these young people and giving them the support they need.”

The youth worker will be working with young people aged between 10 and 19 years-old and will also be working with others in the community in order to understand the feeling of the villages with regard to their needs and attitudes to young people.

Over the first three months, the youth worker will be getting to know the areas as well as the young people and other residents.

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Other neighbourhood and parish clusters in the Horsham District looking to provide new community youth work are Broadbridge Heath, Slinfold & Warnham, Horsham Area, Steyning, Ashurst, Bramber & Upper Beeding and Billingshurst & Pulborough.

Each cluster is funding the employment of full-time and substantial part-time community youth workers to support local young people.

The clusters have a shared vision ‘to enable and empower local young people to make informed, positive lifestyle choices, which promote active, healthy, holistic, safe and social lives’.

District councillor, Sue Rogers, said: “It is great to see that this parish council is working hard to provide such valuable and worthwhile youth work for the district’s young people.”

For more details call Clare Ebelewicz on 01403 215137 or email [email protected]