Kingswells Community Council

Kingswells Youth Group Committee AGM 13th May 2008

Chairs Annual Report

This last year has seen ever changing requirements for youth provision in Kingswells. At the beginning of this session, Wednesday nights, at Fairley Road Old School, buzzed with activity. The age group of attendees was an average of 15 to 17 years. The youth group was very successful, fulfilling its purpose. Then, all of a sudden, this group of young people grew up and their interests, naturally, lay elsewhere.

After a lull, it is with grateful thanks to David Steele of ACC who, after working with the Primary 7 pupils at Kingswells Primary School, encouraged these young people to try out the facilities. We now have the next generation of young people attending the Youth Group in ever increasing numbers. This is a particularly important year group to attract, as each year; they face separation to attend different secondary schools. Coming together on a Wednesday evening offers stability during a time of change, a chance to share any anxieties and bond together. It is wonderful to offer a facility, within our community, which encourages the maintenance of friendships in a relaxed atmosphere. The youth group offers a safe place for young people to ‘hang out' and enables them to interact with adults who can offer guidance, support and care at a time of transition in these young people's lives.

Sincere thanks to the youth workers and all volunteers for all their work hard and commitment. This is often challenging work which requires special qualities including much patience and tolerance.

Thanks also for the continued support of the members of this committee.

This year saw members feeling a need to reassess their position and objectives. It was decided at an informal meeting on the 30th April that "Kingswells Youth Group Committee" will return to being an action group of Kingswells Community Council. (KCC) Keeping the action group within KCC will mean that KCC is representing the whole community of Kingswells - including the views and fulfilling the needs of young people of Kingswells.

It will now be known as "Kingswells Community Council Youth Action Group"

This new Youth Action Group will meet three times a year. At these meetings, the youth worker running the youth group will provide an update to the Youth Action Group.

The treasurer (Ian Cox, Secretary KCC) is happy to continue in this role. We have an account up and running which will be audited at the same time as KCC accounts.

This next year will undoubtedly see changes and challenges ahead. Our main objectives will be as follows.

• To encourage the youth group to continue at the Fairley Road building as long as it is available - prior to change of use.
• To offer support and encouragement to the youth group, the young people, youth workers and volunteers.
• To start planning a strategy for the continued provision of youth facilities within Kingswells once Fairley Road building is no longer available. This may require fund raising for an annex onto Fairley Road.
• To encourage people to volunteer to join Kingswells Community Council Youth Action Group.
• To encourage young people to meaningfully participate in decision-making on youth facilities and activities within Kingswells.

Mrs Barrie Buchan
Chair
Kingswells Youth Group

23rd May update -

The committee will now be known as "Kingswells Youth Steering Group". As the youth group has proved to be so popular with the Primary Seven age group, we are trying to keep the youth group open until the end of this term. However, we will need volunteers to help on the rota on Wednesday nights after the summer. (7:00 - 9:00 pm) Ideally, we would like to open on other evenings to cater for different year groups - but we need youth workers and more volunteers! Please, consider joining Kingswells Youth Steering Group to help us crusade for permanent youth provision in the future within Kingswells. If you can help in any way, please phone for a chat or more info. (Barrie Tel. 741329)