About Us

PROJECT

Berwick Youth Project is a registered charity that enables young people to develop holistically, working with them to facilitate their personal, social, and educational development.

Young people and the local community are the direct recipients of all that the project seeks to achieve in enabling young people to develop their voice, influence and place in society and to reach their full potential.

Strategic direction and financial oversight is provided by an active and well established, experienced and competent elected Management Committee.

Much of the ongoing success of the project is attributable to the staff and volunteer team who through their vision, resilience, dedication and belief in the project's values have developed a 24/7 high quality service. Staff do not seek to advance themselves or the project personally, politically or professionally at the expense of young people.

POSITIVE

A creative organisation, always willing to think laterally.

Projecting a positive image of young people in all that it does.

Constantly seeking out positive outcomes for users.

Exploring potential and pushing for change.

PRINCIPAL

The principal aim of the project is to work with young people and not for them. The project understands its duty of care to young people and that the best interests of young people have priority.

To challenge appropriately and in turn be prepared to be challenged.

Ensure that equality and the issues that surround striving to build a more equal, just and inclusive society is evident in all aspects of the projects work and practice.

Provide a warm and responsive welcome to new project users and celebrate as a strength difference and diversity in all of its many forms.

PARTICIPATION

Young people choose for themselves to be involved in the work of the project and its services.

Users are encouraged to be part of the decision making process.

The Project is seen as a partner of choice by an ever growing range of providers and agencies.

The Project encourages the development of positive images of young people and their views and aspirations. Initiatives stemming directly from consultative work have produced numerous new and ground breaking programmes and events.

PLACE

The high quality purpose built and designed project premises that are not only fully accessible but are also situated in the heart of the community.

A safe place to be, as well as a place to be and belong.

Providing access not only to the project's own services and facilities but also drawing in specialist services to meet the needs of young people in a very cost effective way.

The project base provides an ideal setting to help users to find, explore and demand their place in society.

PROGRESSIVE

Although the project is very well established it is constantly evolving and remains vibrant and adaptable to meet new challenges.

Nothing, except its fundamental principles, is set in stone; provision evolves according to both needs and demands.

Training and staff development have been found to be fundamental in ensuring that practice remains contemporary.

There is encouragement and support across the organisation to explore new methods and possibilities.

PRACTICE

Informed by both national standards and good practice and the code of ethics for the Institute for Youth Work.

Underpinned by safeguarding policies and procedures, risk assessment and safe management of all events and activities in order to avoid exposing young people to the likelihood of harm or injury.

Delivered by highly qualified and experienced staff, who benefit from in-service training opportunities.

Appropriate confidentiality standards are in place across all of the project's work and services. Where information is collected, young people are made aware with whom and for what purpose information will be shared, unless this is necessary to prevent harm or is legally required.

PEOPLE

The creation of an open, receptive, warm, friendly, respectful environment has been a key objective.

Putting people first has meant that services and projects have been evolved with and for people rather than users being perceived as mere passengers.

Berwick Youth Project has created numerous bridges across and into the wider community which has been to the benefit of young people.

Because of its long and successful history the project has developed the respect of parents, carers and extended families who hold the project in high regard.

PREFERRED

Numerous agencies and providers see BYP as a trusted and preferred partner.

For many young people the project is their preferred choice of provider.

Giving options to young people enables them to select their own preferences and in turn responding to young people's feedback helps to reshape the services on offer.

The project has excellent staff and volunteer retention demonstrating the staff team's commitment to BYP.

PRODUCTIVE

One of the project's drivers is that every young person who through their free choice becomes involved in the project should be helped to fulfil their potential and to become informed and productive citizens.

Striving to create real and tangible results benefiting and engaging young users drives the productivity of the staff team.

Efficient, relevant and contemporary provision that demonstrates impact and value for money helps shape the productivity agenda and the yardstick by which BYP can be judged.

Uses everyday situations to produce learning, growth, education and development.

POTENTIAL

Helping young people to achieve their potential is at the beating heart of what the project is seeking to achieve.

The project sees the potential and reality of really pushing the boundaries of practice to evolve responses and provision.

Young people are themselves in transition during their involvement with the project as they move through the teenage years from dependence to independence. Exploring the issues and pressures that form part of this journey provides an agenda to seek out the potential in young people.

The project has demonstrated so ably the potential to raise the game for young people and to explore ideas and concepts.

PLATFORM

Ensuring that young people are given the opportunities to develop socially and emotionally as both individuals and groups.

Creating the opportunity to explore issues and feelings in a supportive environment.

Review and reflect on life style options and opportunities.

Providing both direct and indirect access to new opportunities and challenges.

PARTNERSHIP

The project's life blood revolves around the creation of strong and productive partnerships. The project respects the contribution of others concerned with the welfare and well-being of young people and is fully committed to working in partnership to secure the best outcomes for young people.

Young people enter into a voluntary partnership with the project which gives great strength to this relationship and the feeling of belonging and partnership.

Berwick Youth Project delivers a number of inter-related services for young people; these services operate

seamlessly due in no small way to the internal partnership working so clearly evident within the project staff team.

Funders are absolutely fundamental to the projects existence and development. Berwick Youth Project values the relationships it has built and maintained with a wide range of funding partners who have provided and continue to provide vital funds, so that the work can continue and expand in breadth, value and quality.

PROMOTE

Much effort is given over to promoting both a positive image of young people and describing the true reality of their lives and the issues and challenges they face within the wider community and society.

The reputation of the project is always high on the staff and management committee's agenda. The staff team set high professional standards in all that they do to ensure that the project is always perceived as the 'right place to go' throughout the community.

Young people's rights are a core area of the work requiring regular promotion and publicity that needs to be appropriately pitched.

Informal education is a rich seam which permeates all aspects of BYP's practice; every opportunity is used to describe and unpack this important element of youth work via the learning opportunities provided both directly by the project and in partnership with others e.g. Berwick High School.

PERSONALISED

The project starts from the position of appreciating and understanding that every young person is unique and has a different set of needs and skills which should be respected and celebrated.

Understanding difference is therefore central in building relationships and challenging stereotypes and prejudice in all of its many forms.

Programmes and interventions are

customised to meet expressed need and tailored to be age appropriate.

The work is person centred but where appropriate uses both group work and peer support methods to help young people build a sense of belonging, identity, friendship and fun.

POLICY

The project is reactive and responsive to both national and local policies and procedures that impact on its work and delivery.

It benefits from having its own internal policies that are fit for purpose, which in turn are regularly reviewed and updated.

Berwick Youth Project is fully committed to working with other providers and partners on advising, sharing and evolving best practice across the sector.

A major task within the project is to interpret policy for users in order to inform and update young people concerning rights, obligations and opportunities.

POINTER

The World can be a complex and confusing place, the project acts as a sign posting organisation to point young people in different and often new directions.

Having a project base which is accessible and youth focused, packed with information and opportunity provides a great starting point for young people to feel connected to explore opportunities and options.

Information is balanced, offers alternatives where appropriate and unpacks potential consequences.

Giving recognition to skill development and achievements is crucial in allowing young people to reflect on their personal development and to look at next steps.

PLANNED

Interventions and programmes are planned and evaluated jointly with young people.

The management committee make it a priority to regularly review the very broad swath of work undertaken as well as undertaking strategic planning both operationally and financially to chart the way forward.

All of the work is additionally internally monitored by the project's manager to ensure that the project's exacting standards are met and impact measured.

Through planning to meet emerging youth needs and issues the project ensures that it continues to be both fit for purpose and at the cutting edge of contemporary practice.

PRACTICAL

BERWICK YOUTH PROJECT'S STARTING POINT, IS ALWAYS, WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE AT, WHEN THEY MAKE CONTACT WITH THE PROJECT AND IS SOLUTION FOCUSED.

Help is provided when and where young want it, by highly trained and experienced staff.

The project provides much practical support in unpacking issues and giving impartial advice and guidance on choices.

Life skills are developed across the projects numerous programmes with the aim of building on young people's awareness, skills and understanding to increase confidence and capacity to face new challenges.

PREPARED

Berwick Youth Project is always prepared to go the extra mile.

The relationship between staff and young people is the glue that holds the work together.

Workers respect and are prepared to consider the young person's individual, subjective perception, experience and interpretation of the world and integrate that in their work with them.

Staff constantly listens and observe and are prepared to amend their practice and draw on their knowledge to tailor make approaches.

PERFORMANCE

Berwick Youth Project engages with an average of 600 young people per each year, almost 25% of the local youth population.

The project provides support and services 7 days a week 365 days per year.

It is estimated that over the last 25 years the Project has brought over £6m pounds into the local economy.

Most importantly the project has supported and encouraged a myriad of young people to overcome issues, problems and obstacles. Equally importantly BYP has encouraged young people to follow their dreams and enjoy their lives by having new experiences, challenges and very importantly FUN.