Jan, 2022

Gain satisfying youth work Experience – join our Team

Gain Satisfying Youth Work Experience

Here comes 2022, and Connect Alloa is about to enter its third year as a charity. We are not only proud of our achievements in the past years but we are thriving and planning to expand when the time is right. There are new and exciting opportunities coming up. One of which is youth work. Working for young people is a highly rewarding and gratifying experience. Why not join our team and gain youth work experience?

To know more about youth work and what we do, read the account written by our Youth Worker Ivy.

To apply for the position of Trustee or Treasurer, by clicking on the link below.

Alternatively, if you’d like to find out more about volunteering with our youth groups directly, contact Dave at dave@connectalloa.org.uk for an informal chat!

*Flashback*

Sat in the office (pending coffee) on the first proper day back of Connect 2022 and Dave hits out

with ‘Ivy – Can you write a blog post about being part of Connect?’ and what did I say?

Far too optimistic and potentially not listening as much as I should have been. (Sorry Dave)

‘Yip – of course, I can, no problem at all!’

In hindsight, I have found one major problem with this – I don’t know how to write a blog post.

How do you even start one?

Is it a quick, cheesy one-liner?

Is it an inspirational quote?

Is it all reflection?

Well – I did some research and according to Pinterest, it is supposed to be one of those things, which one?… I will never know!

One thing I am 100% sure of though is I love my job and I can say that hand on heart, no doubts or hesitation because for the first time in my working career, it doesn’t feel like work – and you know what they say, ‘find a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.’

It’s the little things that make it all worthwhile. I look forward to logging into my Connect emails, answer calls from Dave and Sanhita, and turning up to the group on a Friday night after a long week to find the young people waiting five minutes early (Some with smiles and some telling us we’re late!) I even look forward to going out to the container in the freezing cold and battling the spiders because it makes the young people laugh as I scream trying to escape from our eight-legged neighbours!

Anyone who knows me, or has heard me chatting about the group, knows that I am extremely passionate about youth work and is something that I hold very dear to my heart. I have been involved in youth work since I was 14, so I’ve just closed in on 10-years of advocating for safe, effective, inclusive and positive provision for young people (I feel old now but I wouldn’t change it for the world) I’ll be honest – I started with Connect as a volunteer back in September purely to lend a hand, build some new connections as my day-job crossed over nicely and use up some of my free time and within a week or so I was sold.

It quickly became the highlight of my week (Still is) It is very easy to see the impact that going along to Connect has on young people and it is nothing but positive – It’s a safe space for them to be themselves, make new friends and seek support if they need it! I am forever trying to get people to sign up to volunteer with us because it is truly a worthwhile and rewarding experience being at a group (youth nights), even if I spend some nights getting pelters for winning Monopoly. (It’s only happened once, but I hold on to that win)

Joking aside – I am so excited to see what 2022 has in store for Connect and the young people, the new logo has already kicked off the New Year with a bang so I am incredibly proud and blessed to be part of such an amazing charity.

So what are you waiting for?

Come, volunteer with us!

You categorically cannot put a price on the feeling you get when you leave the group for the night knowing that you have made a difference in a young person’s life, even if it is the smallest of differences, it’s priceless!

Anyway – I guess I’ve done Pinterest proud with the amount of cheese and reflection I’ve got going on!

I appreciate you!

– Ivy

Mental Heath Awareness Week 2021

Mental Health Awareness Week 2021

May 10^th to May 16^th 2021 is Mental Health Awareness Week! Over the next few days, we will be sharing resources about mental health from other charities on our social media. We’ll also be encouraging our young people to take some time to rest and reflect on their mental wellbeing.

Awareness is More Important than ever

Over the past decade or so, society has become a lot more aware of mental illness. Many of us have at least some awareness of the topic, whether through personal experience, friends and family or just through information being more accessible online.

According to the charity Place 2 Be, as many as 1 in 6 children and young people are affected by mental health problems. The charity Young Minds have been carrying out various surveys throughout the coronavirus pandemic, monitoring the mental wellbeing of young people in the UK. Alarmingly, one of their reports found that 80% of young people who responded felt the pandemic had made their mental health worse.

Connect Alloa

Here at Connect, our main goals have always been to support young people in our local community and reduce social isolation. Loneliness can be really bad for mental health. According to the Mental Health Foundation, loneliness and social isolation can increase a person’s chance of developing a mental illness, such as depression and anxiety.

With nearly a quarter of young people in the UK saying they ‘often’ feel lonely, social isolation among children and younger generations is a massive health issue (You Gov).

After a year of coronavirus restrictions and general uncertainty, a lot of people are probably feeling pretty stressed, upset, confused, lonely or anxious. This Awareness Week, it’s important we talk about these issues and make sure that as things continue to re-open and restrictions ease, we are being considerate towards others and conscious of our own mental wellbeing.

At Connect, we want to create an inclusive environment where young people can feel safe and welcomed. We want our young people to feel free to talk to us and the wider group about any issues affecting them or causes they are passionate about.

Tips for Looking after your Mental Health

Talk about it! The more open we can be about mental health issues, the easier it is for people to come forward and seek out support. Reducing the stigma that can still surround mental illness is an important step to supporting people who are struggling.

If you’re having a difficult time or know someone who is, it’s okay to seek out professional help and support. We’ve put together a list of great charities and organisations below who support people experiencing mental health issues.

It’s important to take time to do things you enjoy! Spending time doing a hobby, watching your favourite film, chatting to friends, or going outside can help reduce stress.

Be patient and kind with yourself. Some days might be more challenging than others, but try to think how you would react if someone you cared about was ill. You would probably encourage them to take their time, do something enjoyable and ask for help if they need it. Treat yourself the same way!

Resources and Support

Talking about your mental wellbeing can be difficult or even just awkward sometimes. However, it’s important to seek out help and let people know if you’re not feeling well. These organisations and charities have helplines and resources for people needing support with their mental wellbeing.

SAMH | Shout 85258 | Samaritans

Place 2 Be | NHS | Mental Health Foundation | Mind

Join Connect Alloa

Interested in joining Connect Alloa? Know a young person who might be? We’re always happy to have new members! Please fill out our Registration Form.

What is Digital Youth Work?

How do you conduct youth work during a pandemic? Since March last year, we’ve had to get creative here at Connect Alloa about how we engage with our young people. From coming up with new digital activities to hosting Walk and Talk meet ups last summer, it’s been a bit of a learning curve for us all!

Digital Youth Sessions

Currently, we are running online sessions three days a week: Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. To facilitate this we’ve been using Discord.

Haven’t heard of it? Discord is a digital platform that was originally created for online gamers. It was a way to build an online community and provide a space for group discussions.

Discord allows us to host a secure server only accessible to our members, volunteers and staff. We use Discord to collect and organise our different projects and session topics, from Dungeons and Dragons to online games.

Discord also allows us to have group discussions in real-time. It’s like Zoom, but without the stress of being on camera! Using Discord and continuing to meet as a group has allowed Connect Alloa to stay connected throughout lockdown.

Staying Social

With everyone stuck at home over the past year, it has been more important than ever to create fun and inclusive digital spaces where young people can meet, talk and stay social. Providing a stable support network and a break from the stresses of daily life is vital.

Young people have been particularly badly affected by the pandemic, especially in terms of their mental health. Research from The Prince’s Trust found that 1 in 4 young people were struggling to cope during the pandemic, with many feeling anxious and depressed during lockdown.

Through continuing to host regular youth nights and online sessions, Connect Alloa aims to ensure all our young people have access to supportive community.

The Future

If this past year has taught us anything, it’s that you can’t always predict what’s coming next.

Moving forward into 2021, we’re hoping to be able to transition back to in-person sessions in some capacity. However, our priority will always be the safety of our young people, volunteers, staff and wider community, so we will continue to operate online until it’s safe to meet in-person. Hopefully, when that time comes we’ll see some familiar faces as well as some new ones!

Interested in joining Connect Alloa? Or do you know a young person who might be? Please fill out our registration form and we’ll be in touch!

Resources

Mental health support: See Me Scotland, Shout 85258, SAMH.

Follow Connect Alloa on social media to stay up to date with our sessions and learn more about what sort of activities we do!

Tag Archives: mental health