youth clubs - does your child go to one?

[tatt]

I'm busy trying to revive a local youth club. What does your child do at theirs, how does it differ for different age groups, anything you can think of to tell me that might help?

May only drop past rarely but all comments appreciated.

my 13 year old son sometimes goes to a boys club, where they play snooker, darts, boxing (!) hang around etc. it's been running for years and years and attracts all ages but i only know what the 13 year old do!

think a youth club would be a great idea. I used to love going on a friday night!!

It depends very much on the child.. I think DS age 12 would love one.

Maybe have movie nights, games challenges etc.

there must be more of us!

it's always quieter at weekends, hopefully more comments next week. Still trying to get my head round all the bodies who are supposed to help - and how little is happening locally.

At the moment I'm thinking of drop-in with pool, computer games etc for younger ones but its been sugegsted to me that I need to split age groups and run a nightclub without alcohol (juice bar) for younger ones. Thanks for reminding me about darts!

I work at one. Football and other team games always popular if you can access a sports hall. Pool, karaoke, hot snacks, simple cooking, board games, ps2, magazines for girls, quizzes with prizes, computers with internet access, movie nights, music. Good idea to split age groups, younger ones can be intimidated by older one's. Fundraising for trips away, eg iceskating, mountainbiking, dry slope skiing. Alot depends on the area you're in and whats available locally. Hope this is helpful.

My 15 year old goes to one for 12 to 16 year olds. some weeks they are all together and other weks they are split into 2 age groups. Sometimes they just relax ,chat and play pool etc other weeks they have themes. They have had quizzes,silly games,karoke nights,film nights etc. They have also had trips to the cinema ,Ice skating and a local concert.
They have also had nights just for the girls and nights for the boys and have also had sleepovers.
My daughter enjoys going and nmeeting her friends.

thanks. How many adults are normally present/ how many are paid helpers? I'm interested in ratio of young people to adults and where you get funding for paid posts. there's very little available locally or I wouldn't even consider it.

tatt both my husband and i have run youth clubs with part of our community work posts.

if you want paid staff best to ask outh services if they will attend once a week of something. its certainly very difficult to get paid in that sector if run privately counting overheads etc. which is why it can run as a community enterprise.

if run as a community enterprise you can look towards the national lottery for some funding. the local council should hve a "community chest" you can ring round or visit local businesses and ask them for donations.

we bought a second hand pool table - with coin slot set at 20p per game - the money from which could go towards replacing cues or the felt if it should become damaged.

you could ask social services about ratios.

you will need a crb check
you need public liability insurance.

your council aslo may have a funding officer - who should have a great knowledge of local grants.

if your youth club has any council or housing association houses. you can market yourselves to them as a community enterprise ad ask them for a donation.

I've identified some bodies that may give me grants and a local builder has already offered some help to fix up the building. Which reminds me to e-mail the probation service and see what I can get from their young offenders . The local PCSO says he can come in sometimes too.

we have a great one at the local church but he refuses to step foot in the door incase they use the dreaded G word. Agh

I'm talking to youth services. I'd really like them to be responsible for a youth club and me to be just a volunteer. So far no joy with that but they will appoint someone to work here soon.

held a meeting today, publicity in the local press, looking for volunteers and most of those who turned up were people I knew personally. The exceptions were from local churches. Why is it only Christians who will get involved with youg people? We have no non-Christian groups here so this is a question about where all the non-religious are?