MAD Blog

Summer 2018 approached by the West Midlands police MAD were asked if we could deliver activities across the south of the city, as there was no provision. There were four areas one of these being Bartley green, idea was to go out into the parks and do some outreach work to engage the local young people in some positive activity, about six hours a week.

Having had the summer sessions a lot of parents came back and said they wanted a youth club for somewhere for their kids to go in the long term. Supporting Long Nukez youth club they applied for active citizens funding to kit out the youth club with equipment and hall hire it would need to host young people. Once we got the go ahead we paid for the hall, paid for a container, some equipment we started the youth club 5-7pm with the younger ones then we work with the older ones later on in the week. All volunteer ran and the mums that run the club are really enthusiastic and talk to lots of different people in the local area about the project to kids and fellow parents. By getting the community to take ownership and buy into the project there is a feeling they can reclaim their area. "I think the project gives the parents a little bit of hope in terms of challenges the area faces and there can be a lot of positive activity in the local area when it comes to their children." Alison O'connell MAD Manager

"I've got a lot of pride for our community now, whereas I didn't prior to this. I feel like we're trying to help the kids and the parents. We want it to be a hub so we'll have housing and benefits people come talk to the parents, umbrella sexual health are coming to talk to the older kids, a homework club being setup there's a lot of exciting things in the pipeline" Volunteer

One week changes to the next depending on what the kids want to do, delivery is very much youth led. Some kids won't do the sport but then there is the arts and crafts sides. The project is currently seeking a projector to be able to put on movie nights when the weather isn't so good to expand their offer even further.

"My favourite things are basketball and singing I'll sing anything! I'd love this so continue. If MAD hadn't come over to the park that one day, my mum wouldn't be here it really does change people's lives. I've noticed that there's a lot more children feeling safer round the area and a lot more children talking to one another. My mum has become a lot calmer, she's taking a noticing to more of the children in the area. I'd describe LN as life changing, amazing and sociable. I'd like to see a lot older kids coming to the youth club as there's a lot of problems with knife crime here and then we might be able to nudge a few kids to more positive activities." Participant

Provision also includes often a hot snack, toasties being a crowd favourite but often this is vital for the young people that come through the youth club's doors "MAD's work is vital with kids and getting them to do more positive activities. I feel the food is an important factor in retaining kids to the youth group, we have kids that come from a wide set of situations which might mean they don't eat at home and it's vital they can rely on some sort of food to fill their stomachs here as their other meal would only be a school lunch." Kitchen Volunteer

The MAD team are still there doing bits and pieces but what we've done is upskill the mums. So these mums have got their health and hygiene, youth work course, DBS, child protection, first aid and a couple of them did a tennis activators. Once we get them constituted and a bank account MAD will completely come away from there and the mums will wholly take ownership of the programme.

If you would like to know more about the project in Bartley Green follow their facebook here If you're looking for advice/support on setting up a youth club in your area or feel MAD could have an impact in your area contact us