FOUR youth clubs in West Devon have an exciting future ahead thanks to a grant from the Big Lottery Fund.

The ‘Reaching Communities’ Fund from the Big Lottery has meant that Bere Alston, Horrabridge, Princetown and Tavistock are now working in partnership to develop work with young people in this part of West Devon.

Called ‘Young People’s Voices in West Devon‘, the project is all about listening to what young people need in this area and responding to what they say — it aims to help young people to make better decisions about their physical and mental health, improve relationships and receive the help and advice they need in the communities they live in.

Not only that, but the new funding has abled the partnership to expand its team of paid youth workers in order to provide the additional opportunities the project involves.

Adrian Kemp, secretary at Princetown Pavilion Youth Club, said: ‘The partnership is looking for people who have the ability and experience to work with and inspire young people in a range of exciting new projects.

‘So whether it is helping to set up a club after school, creating a new drop-in session on a Saturday, supporting students who are not attending school, providing music tuition or quality youth work, there are fantastic opportunities for anyone who really cares about young people and wants to see them succeed in life.’

The project has already got off to a great start with a joint project funded by Awards for All, a residential trip to London during half-term.

‘Several of the youth who went on the trip had never been on a train before, let alone been to the capital.’

‘It was a brilliant trip,’ said Vicki Lloyd-Walsh, the manager of the New Tavistock Youth Cafe, who organised the trip on behalf of the partnership. ‘It was great to have members of all four youth clubs together and for all the youth leaders on the trip to have the opportunity to spend time together, sharing ideas and planning for the future.’

‘I loved everything we did — it was amazing!’ and ‘Our daughter really enjoyed the whole experience and hasn’t stopped telling us things’ are just some of the comments from the young people and parents afterwards.

Training is also key to developing the high class provision of youth work and providing support for new staff in particular.

For details on the paid youth worker positions available, see the Job Section in today’s Times on page 46.

Youth workers for Tavistock, Bere Alston, Princetown and Horrabridge, Vicki Lloyd-Walsh, Alison Feek and Ross Wheeler are pictured with the youth from the four areas during their recent residential trip to London.