Summer Programme - Play, Bake Create

Following the great success of last year's programme, this summer sees Charlton Kings Parish Council partnering again with local businesses and organisations to provide free activities for children and young people during the school holidays.

This year's event - Play, Bake, Create is set to be even bigger and better. We have a fantastic range of activities with something on offer for all interests and all ages from 4 to 16 years.

All activities are running in a number of local venues from 7th to 19th of August.

Booking is strongly recommended for all the activities, which can be done via Eventbrite from Saturday 22nd July.

Click here for the full line-up and details of how to book.

If you are a provider of free, local activities for children and would like your details added to this page, please contact the Parish Office on community@charltonkingsparishcouncil.gov.uk

We can advertise them on this page of our website and through our other communications channels (social media, Parish Newsletter and Parish Noticeboards).

If you have your own website or Facebook page, we would be happy to include a link on this page too.

Will Mills from Cheltenham Town Community Trust is running weekly football sessions for local young people aged 14 – 18 years.

These free sessions take place every Wednesday (5.00 – 6.00pm) on the Grange Field.

These are drop-in sessions and booking is not required.

Youth Work Project Partnership - Inspire to Aspire

The Cheltenham wide Detached Youth Work 2 year contract with Inspire to Aspire is expiring at the end of June 2023. We have been advised that the way forward and possible re-tendering of this project will now be managed by the steering group of the Cheltenham Borough Council project "No Child Left Behind". We await confirmation of their plan going forward.

Youth Work Update from Inspire to Aspire - March 2023

In their report for March of this year, the detached youth workers have noted good engagement of young people in Charlton Kings with up to 20 weekly interactions per session, and a number of new interactions, which is really positive. The nature of detached youth work is that the youth workers are available in the streets and parks for the children to talk to rather than seeking attendance at a particular location and therefore this is considered to be a good level of voluntary engagement from the young people. The youth workers reported discussing school, home life and plans for the evening with the young people, as well as what they enjoy doing in their free time. The feedback is that the young people want to be able to do activities in their local area.

What is detached youth work and why is it important?

"Detached work is a way of building relationships with young people on their territory. Usually that means on the streets, on estates, in arcades, pubs, parks or wherever they hang out. Historically, it was thought of as work with the "unattached" or the "unclubbables" - those who didn't fit or were barred from mainstream youth provision. More recent terms might include disengaged, at risk or socially excluded."

(PJ White, Children and Young People Now, 2007)

What does a typical interaction look like when doing detached youth work?

"There is no typical interaction, beyond us approaching young people we come across and introducing ourselves as youth workers. It all depends on the young person (or group of) and their experience of adults in their lives.

In Charlton Kings (where they have experience of working with youth workers) they engage well and we will chat about all sorts, school, careers, weather, substances etc. Conversations with well engaged young people will be about encouraging the young people to believe in themselves and working out ways together that they can achieve their goals whilst also promoting pro social behaviour and signposting the young people to other agencies for support if needed.

If a young person does not have experience of working with a youth worker but their experience of adults in their lives is generally positive, they will engage well with some curiosity, here we will explain what a youth worker is and engage in conversations similar to those who have experience of working with a youth worker.

If a young person does not have experience of working with a youth worker and their experience of adults is generally negative, these can be the hardest to work with. Working with this group involves long periods of time of showing up, building trust and taking down the metaphorical walls they have built around themselves to keep themselves safe from adults. (Youth Worker Rob H, Inspire to Aspire, 2021)

Charlton Kings Youth Task/Action Group

Charlton Kings Parish Council is part of the Charlton Kings Youth Task/Action Group led by the Police.

The Youth Task/Action Group meets regularly to consider the work currently being done, the impact being made and agree next steps in improving the provision for young people in Charlton Kings. Cllrs Honeywill and Johnson represent the Parish Council on the Group.