Youth Team ( YT) have been challenged with a number of issues.
Starzone remains very popular- the numbers being limited to 48 depending on staff/child ratios. Challenges here were to recruit adult volunteers but numbers have now increased and we are very grateful to all volunteers. YT and Gill Gilmour ( YW) have now established pre – Starzone meetings with volunteers to aid smooth running and inclusion of the volunteer’s views and skills. Communication problems have been discussed and this gives a platform for addressing same. Gill’s conduct with the children and her ability to control them are to be commended.
Essential that anything arranged by YW for young people has to be backed up by a good volunteer team. All volunteers have to be Disclosure checked.
Day trips e.g. Alton Towers, Blair Drummond are a huge responsibility and YT and YW not confident in running these. Also would they really enhance the Church’s outreach ?
After School Clubs come into the ‘babysitting’ area and are scrutinised by the Care Commission and therefore YT consider best avoided.
Pressure on hall bookings has sometimes resulted in difficulties in getting Church Hall for Starzone dates Noted that organisations make block bookings and perhaps this could be improved and YW given priority during holiday periods.
Teen scene a very challenging area. Attempts at liaising with high school have been difficult. Proposed meetings with Graham Alison last year were delayed until last month to discuss these challenges and support YW. Discussion re youth café lunchtimes/ again volunteers required. Themed evenings have been discussed
games evenings / fashion shows/drama evenings. But almost every evening Youths have different clubs already on. Problems identified as timing clashes with popular TV programmes ( X factor) /parents unwilling to ferry children later at weekends. Young folk find entering church property a ‘no go’. We are always open to ideas here and are watching attempts by other Church’s Youth Teams here
Gills’ salary is £8000, of which £1000 is covered by a Presbytery grant . No increase of salary was granted this year, although all other Church employees’ salaries were increased.
YT and YW aware that there is ‘time owed’ . Anticipated that there will be evenings during June to make up for this. Summer programme to be confirmed. Gill’s hours were made up last year with involvement in Christmas community concert, nativity play and Carnival.
Starzones last year did in fact make a profit ,although this was not the reason for running these days- outreach was the main objective.
Respect did run at a loss but was in fact covered by Starzone profit
The Way Forward
Graham Alison does have contacts within education and these may be a neat way around accessing the attention of the head teacher. Future meetings anticipated with Graham, whose enthusiasm and ideas are inspiring .
Gill has shown initiative and made approaches to Community Council for their input/opinion re combined community involvement.
Presbytery pressure to go in with Bridge of Weir/Howwood area YW but he does not actually run any events ,only provides ideas so he would not run any Starzones etc. and we have concerns re a fragmented service and conflict over time specific requirements.
