Youth Work Services Dumfries and Galloway

Published 26/09/2023.  Last updated 26/03/2024
Youth work Dumfries and Galloway logo

Dumfries and Galloway Youth Work currently offer two key pieces of work that support the cost-of-living crisis within their authority.

Assessing Community Need

The first project aims to support local young people aged 12 to 25 and their families when it comes to School Provisions. Working in partnership with the Dumfries and Galloway Poverty and Inequalities Team and local charities, youth workers target those in most need of free school uniforms, access to support, food & drink and haircuts.

Secondly the team have also created a Youth Pantry within Stranraer. It aims to support young people who are struggling with food and life poverty. It is run by young people for young people and reaches out to those who are in need of additional support, whether that is food, fuel, clothing, toiletries or information.

Dumfries and Galloway have developed a Poverty and Inequalities Partnership Strategy 2021 to 2026 which has a Vision of “a Dumfries and Galloway in which local action has driven poverty as low as possible and has mitigated as far as possible the impact of poverty when experienced.” Our Partnership have developed four Sub-Groups which each have dedicated Actions Plans to mitigate the impacts of all forms of poverty and inequalities throughout our Region.

These include Projects which are delivered within the areas of need within our disadvantaged communities and the location of these projects are within some of our most deprived communities. Through our own observations and frontline work with young people, we have identified a greater need for support targeted towards young people experiencing poverty across all aspects of their life whether that be through access to opportunities, healthy meals, gas and electricity etc.

Dumfries and Galloways 10,000 voices consultation, is the largest coalition of young people’s voices in the region and identifies that money and the cost of living remains within the top five issues affecting young people.

School Provision

The project provides school provisions to young people, reducing the economic challenges they face when it comes to the necessities when going to school. It provides young people access to free uniforms, stopping them from being judged on what they have when clothes don’t fit or are dilapidated. The CLD approach utilised in this work makes sure that the cost of living is not simply seen as a food poverty issue. The project provides young people support surrounding a breadth of themes including heating, cleanliness, appropriate shelter, safe spaces and being treated without judgement.

Free School Uniform Events are held throughout our region during the Summer Holidays with a wide range of both new and pre-loved School Clothing available at each event for collection. In addition, free Haircuts are available throughout the day along with free food plus additional support and signposting to Services who can provide Welfare and Benefits and further dedicated advice. The project also provides copies of our Worrying About Money services which have been designed for their Service Providers through working with Food Bank Foundation Partners.

The project has also developed six permanent Free School Uniform Donation and Collection Points throughout the Region with third sector organisations. These are open all year round for any young people to call into at any time to access any free additional Uniform Items which may be needed.

Youth Pantry

The youth pantry focuses on ensuring that young people have a dignified way of having access to food and toilet products in Stranraer. The pantry is run by local young people who have formed a constituted group. They sourced funding that allowed the procurement of free food hampers, hot water bottles, hygiene products, budget recipe books etc.

A youth management committee direct on what things are required within it and support a peer-to-peer awareness model, allowing young people who are in most need to learn about it. Due to young people leading the pantry it means the stigma of food banks has been broken down. It has also allowed for a culture change to begin, with young people who come telling their friends about it, allowing them to feel more comfortable with the idea of coming along.

The pantry supports young people to increase skills and knowledge, enabling them to better navigate the cost-of-living crisis. This has included food education programmes, handling money, volunteering and signposting to further support available.

Young people are encouraged to take ownership of the project, and take on various roles including fundraisers, campaigners and taking charge of the stock. This works particularly well with young people who feel they are giving something back and supporting their peers who are experiencing similar challenging life circumstances.

The project is now in its ninth month and continues to run successfully in the area.

Impact

Both projects have made noticeable differences. In the last year, the school provisions project has managed to pass on nearly all the donations it has received to local young  people and families.

The pantry has also seen a consistent increase in the number who access it and to date has provided 140 food hampers and fuel vouchers to young people, along maintaining a pantry that is stocked with essentials which can be accessed by young people 4 days per week. It has also provided a link for these vulnerable young people to access other youth work provision within the area.

A major challenge that both projects face is that need is often greater than what is available. Sustainability remains an ongoing challenge for the youth pantry and relies on donations, fundraising and external funding to keep up with demand, along with volunteers who can commit time to the project.

They are seeing a decrease in physical donations, as the cost-of-living crisis is affecting a much higher percentage of the population who are managing tight incomes with less disposable income to donate to projects such as this.

As such they continue to seek funding, fundraise themselves, work with local businesses and employers and think creatively for new ways to generate donations and income to sustain the project.

School provisions impact

Participation numbers are collected for all the families and young people who attend each time. The number of items which are given out to people are counted by using the total amount of empty clothes hangers left. This is added to the number of items taken from surrounding tables etc (such as Lunch Boxes, Water Bottles, Stationery Items etc).

These statistics highlight the number of donations which are received together with the rising levels of need. These also highlight the numbers of items which are being saved from being sent to landfill and therefore reducing the carbon footprint within our Region.

During August 2023 547 people attended events across the region. During these events 969 items of school uniform and equipment were distributed and 79 free haircuts were received.

Case studies provide details on the benefits which are experienced by the young people who are accessing this project including the positive impacts which it has on their income by providing free new and pre-loved clothes, stationery and other essentials items which are required for school throughout each term.

This includes highlighting that they are no longer bullied for their lack of new school clothing, clothing which is damaged can be replaced quickly and additional items can be accessed at any time of year which greatly helps in relation to growth spurts etc.

The Poverty and Inequalities Team receive a large number of referrals throughout the year from Dumfries and Galloway Council Services (including Social Work & Education Services), partners, young people and carers. These referrals are requests for additional uniform items and as such all queries are directed to the closest permanent point. These access points are also highlighted to all Primary, Secondary Schools and Nurseries at various times of the year to ensure that donations and collections can be maximised at all times.

Very positive feedback has been received about the Free Back to School Uniform Events and the permanent Uniform Donation and Collection Points from public sector and third sector service and from many young people who can access large numbers of free school uniforms anytime of the year.

The Permanent Donation and Collection Points are open all year round and their opening hours include weekends. This provides opportunities for young people to pop in both after school and during weekends.

Youth Pantry

For the pantry, as it is still in its first year there is no impact report. However, there is a system which records the number of young people accessing the support. The group are in the process of creating case studies to gather snapshots of the impact on individuals who are willing to share experiences. There are direct observations from young leaders and staff including:

  • noticing repeat users
  • looking at how to successfully support them
  • an increase in the number of young people becoming more involved as volunteers to give back
  • general feedback from the young people about how they use the service referrals from social work, schools, partners etc.

Next Steps

In the future the school provision project will aim to link closer to what is needed by young people at any given time. It will ensure that the support that is provided isn’t based on routine and is instead structured around local knowledge.

The youth pantry work also looks to be expanded over the entirety of Dumfries and Galloway and not exist solely in Stranraer. This will involve the creation of other youth management committees who will run their own pantries and advocate for their peers.

Reflections

We would look to encourage senior leaders to recognise quicker how a CLD youth work approach can provide a more robust and impactful way to support the cost-of-living crisis. Visiting examples of where youth work and cost of living work hand in hand is also essential to ensure teams are aware of how these pieces of work look on the ground.

Finally, we would also advise teams to ensure that signposting is done in its truest sense. Young people benefit the most when we make sure they are linked in with other provision, even if these aren’t CLD focused. This works when other departments/organisations do the same, creating a true partnership culture to tackle the cost of living.

We need to start where the people are at, even although we’ve got evidence of need, this doesn’t replace speaking to people to find out about their lived experiences and what we need to do to improve their quality of life.

Further Information

Please contact Carla Grant for more information.

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Youth Work Services Dumfries and Galloway

Published 26/09/2023.  Last updated 26/03/2024

Dumfries and Galloway Youth Work currently offer two key pieces of work that support the cost-of-living crisis within their authority.

Assessing Community Need

The first project aims to support local young people aged 12 to 25 and their families when it comes to School Provisions. Working in partnership with the Dumfries and Galloway Poverty and Inequalities Team and local charities, youth workers target those in most need of free school uniforms, access to support, food & drink and haircuts.

Secondly the team have also created a Youth Pantry within Stranraer. It aims to support young people who are struggling with food and life poverty. It is run by young people for young people and reaches out to those who are in need of additional support, whether that is food, fuel, clothing, toiletries or information.

Dumfries and Galloway have developed a Poverty and Inequalities Partnership Strategy 2021 to 2026 which has a Vision of “a Dumfries and Galloway in which local action has driven poverty as low as possible and has mitigated as far as possible the impact of poverty when experienced.” Our Partnership have developed four Sub-Groups which each have dedicated Actions Plans to mitigate the impacts of all forms of poverty and inequalities throughout our Region.

These include Projects which are delivered within the areas of need within our disadvantaged communities and the location of these projects are within some of our most deprived communities. Through our own observations and frontline work with young people, we have identified a greater need for support targeted towards young people experiencing poverty across all aspects of their life whether that be through access to opportunities, healthy meals, gas and electricity etc.

Dumfries and Galloways 10,000 voices consultation, is the largest coalition of young people’s voices in the region and identifies that money and the cost of living remains within the top five issues affecting young people.

School Provision

The project provides school provisions to young people, reducing the economic challenges they face when it comes to the necessities when going to school. It provides young people access to free uniforms, stopping them from being judged on what they have when clothes don’t fit or are dilapidated. The CLD approach utilised in this work makes sure that the cost of living is not simply seen as a food poverty issue. The project provides young people support surrounding a breadth of themes including heating, cleanliness, appropriate shelter, safe spaces and being treated without judgement.

Free School Uniform Events are held throughout our region during the Summer Holidays with a wide range of both new and pre-loved School Clothing available at each event for collection. In addition, free Haircuts are available throughout the day along with free food plus additional support and signposting to Services who can provide Welfare and Benefits and further dedicated advice. The project also provides copies of our Worrying About Money services which have been designed for their Service Providers through working with Food Bank Foundation Partners.

The project has also developed six permanent Free School Uniform Donation and Collection Points throughout the Region with third sector organisations. These are open all year round for any young people to call into at any time to access any free additional Uniform Items which may be needed.

Youth Pantry

The youth pantry focuses on ensuring that young people have a dignified way of having access to food and toilet products in Stranraer. The pantry is run by local young people who have formed a constituted group. They sourced funding that allowed the procurement of free food hampers, hot water bottles, hygiene products, budget recipe books etc.

A youth management committee direct on what things are required within it and support a peer-to-peer awareness model, allowing young people who are in most need to learn about it. Due to young people leading the pantry it means the stigma of food banks has been broken down. It has also allowed for a culture change to begin, with young people who come telling their friends about it, allowing them to feel more comfortable with the idea of coming along.

The pantry supports young people to increase skills and knowledge, enabling them to better navigate the cost-of-living crisis. This has included food education programmes, handling money, volunteering and signposting to further support available.

Young people are encouraged to take ownership of the project, and take on various roles including fundraisers, campaigners and taking charge of the stock. This works particularly well with young people who feel they are giving something back and supporting their peers who are experiencing similar challenging life circumstances.

The project is now in its ninth month and continues to run successfully in the area.

Impact

Both projects have made noticeable differences. In the last year, the school provisions project has managed to pass on nearly all the donations it has received to local young  people and families.

The pantry has also seen a consistent increase in the number who access it and to date has provided 140 food hampers and fuel vouchers to young people, along maintaining a pantry that is stocked with essentials which can be accessed by young people 4 days per week. It has also provided a link for these vulnerable young people to access other youth work provision within the area.

A major challenge that both projects face is that need is often greater than what is available. Sustainability remains an ongoing challenge for the youth pantry and relies on donations, fundraising and external funding to keep up with demand, along with volunteers who can commit time to the project.

They are seeing a decrease in physical donations, as the cost-of-living crisis is affecting a much higher percentage of the population who are managing tight incomes with less disposable income to donate to projects such as this.

As such they continue to seek funding, fundraise themselves, work with local businesses and employers and think creatively for new ways to generate donations and income to sustain the project.

School provisions impact

Participation numbers are collected for all the families and young people who attend each time. The number of items which are given out to people are counted by using the total amount of empty clothes hangers left. This is added to the number of items taken from surrounding tables etc (such as Lunch Boxes, Water Bottles, Stationery Items etc).

These statistics highlight the number of donations which are received together with the rising levels of need. These also highlight the numbers of items which are being saved from being sent to landfill and therefore reducing the carbon footprint within our Region.

During August 2023 547 people attended events across the region. During these events 969 items of school uniform and equipment were distributed and 79 free haircuts were received.

Case studies provide details on the benefits which are experienced by the young people who are accessing this project including the positive impacts which it has on their income by providing free new and pre-loved clothes, stationery and other essentials items which are required for school throughout each term.

This includes highlighting that they are no longer bullied for their lack of new school clothing, clothing which is damaged can be replaced quickly and additional items can be accessed at any time of year which greatly helps in relation to growth spurts etc.

The Poverty and Inequalities Team receive a large number of referrals throughout the year from Dumfries and Galloway Council Services (including Social Work & Education Services), partners, young people and carers. These referrals are requests for additional uniform items and as such all queries are directed to the closest permanent point. These access points are also highlighted to all Primary, Secondary Schools and Nurseries at various times of the year to ensure that donations and collections can be maximised at all times.

Very positive feedback has been received about the Free Back to School Uniform Events and the permanent Uniform Donation and Collection Points from public sector and third sector service and from many young people who can access large numbers of free school uniforms anytime of the year.

The Permanent Donation and Collection Points are open all year round and their opening hours include weekends. This provides opportunities for young people to pop in both after school and during weekends.

Youth Pantry

For the pantry, as it is still in its first year there is no impact report. However, there is a system which records the number of young people accessing the support. The group are in the process of creating case studies to gather snapshots of the impact on individuals who are willing to share experiences. There are direct observations from young leaders and staff including:

  • noticing repeat users
  • looking at how to successfully support them
  • an increase in the number of young people becoming more involved as volunteers to give back
  • general feedback from the young people about how they use the service referrals from social work, schools, partners etc.

Next Steps

In the future the school provision project will aim to link closer to what is needed by young people at any given time. It will ensure that the support that is provided isn’t based on routine and is instead structured around local knowledge.

The youth pantry work also looks to be expanded over the entirety of Dumfries and Galloway and not exist solely in Stranraer. This will involve the creation of other youth management committees who will run their own pantries and advocate for their peers.

Reflections

We would look to encourage senior leaders to recognise quicker how a CLD youth work approach can provide a more robust and impactful way to support the cost-of-living crisis. Visiting examples of where youth work and cost of living work hand in hand is also essential to ensure teams are aware of how these pieces of work look on the ground.

Finally, we would also advise teams to ensure that signposting is done in its truest sense. Young people benefit the most when we make sure they are linked in with other provision, even if these aren’t CLD focused. This works when other departments/organisations do the same, creating a true partnership culture to tackle the cost of living.

We need to start where the people are at, even although we’ve got evidence of need, this doesn’t replace speaking to people to find out about their lived experiences and what we need to do to improve their quality of life.

Further Information

Please contact Carla Grant for more information.

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