Hailsham Youth Service celebrates rising attendance at sessions in recent months

Hailsham Youth Service (HYS) is reporting strong attendance across its range of youth sessions, welcoming more than 2,000 individual visits between July and September and continuing to provide valuable support to children and young people across the local community.

The latest figures show that HYS recorded a total of 2,057 individual visits over the three-month period, reflecting the continued demand for its varied programme of activities, youth clubs and support services.

Increases in attendance levels were recorded across the many individual sessions offered by HYS at the Station Youth Centre, including The Underground, Fusion, The Lounge, On-Track Hailsham, Network @The Underground, Teens & Tweens and Family Fun Fest. Attendance was also higher for sessions taking place at alternative locations, including the Monday Youth Hub (James West Community Centre), the Hellingly Youth Hub (Hellingly Community Hub) and the Friday Night Project (various locations).

The figures demonstrate the breadth of HYS provision and the different opportunities available to young people, with The Underground afternoon and evening sessions recording the highest attendance during the quarter.

While attendance figures provide an encouraging indication of the reach of the service, HYS emphasises that the effectiveness of youth work should also be measured by the positive difference it makes to young people's lives. Building relationships, offering a safe and welcoming environment, encouraging personal development and providing support when it is needed are all important aspects of the service.

Youth Service Manager Andy Joyes said: "It is really encouraging to see so many young people making use of our sessions and getting involved in what Hailsham Youth Services has to offer. Reaching more than 2,000 individual visits in just three months is a significant achievement and reflects the commitment of our staff and the enthusiasm of the young people who attend."

"However, our work is about much more than numbers. It is about building trust, providing positive experiences and making sure young people have somewhere they feel welcome, listened to and supported."

Youth Service Deputy Manager Joel Cottingham added: "Every session gives us an opportunity to engage with young people, build positive relationships and understand what matters to them. The range of attendance across our different projects shows that there is no single approach to youth work that suits everyone."

"We aim to provide varied activities and opportunities so that young people can find something that interests them, develop confidence and feel part of their community. We are particularly proud of the support we can offer to those who may need a little extra help."

Alongside its youth sessions, HYS also provides access to counselling and additional support for children and young people through services based at The Manse, the building next to Station Youth Centre.

During the same period, these counselling and support services delivered more than 100 hours of counselling. This includes support for young people referred by Youth Service staff, following concerns identified through conversations and relationships developed during youth sessions.

This link between frontline youth work and more specialist support helps ensure that young people can be signposted to appropriate help when difficulties arise.

Hailsham Town Council is proud of the work undertaken by its Youth Services team and the positive contribution the service makes to the wellbeing and development of young people. The latest attendance figures are an encouraging reflection of the service's reach, while the ongoing emphasis on relationships, inclusion and individual support remains at the heart of its work.