CEO’s Thoughts (September Newsletter)

29 September 2022

And in a blink of an eye September has gone! What a month it has been! Many of the staff at Berkshire Youth, including myself, had some well-deserved time off after a very busy summer programme to get us rested and relaxed for all the projects and programmes we have going on this autumn.

Firstly, I wanted to acknowledge the passing of HM Queen Elizabeth II. Her Majesty was a great advocate for young people and the power of Youth Leadership, as seen in many of the programmes she supported across the Commonwealth. Such an event has presented questions and anxieties amongst some of the young people we work with. We have made sure we have plenty of resources for young people and staff and volunteers around bereavement on the Berkshire Youth Hubs for those who may need it.

I am delighted to welcome three new members of staff to the Waterside team, to help grow our support of young people in West Berkshire through our schools work and other programmes. Please pop into Waterside, maybe grab a cuppa and cake at the amazing Colline’s Kitchen, and say ‘hi’ to the new staff!

They join the rest of our fabulous team here at Berkshire Youth who have recently won another award and are starting new projects in Slough with Children in Need and #iwill project at Waterside, expanding provision with Tilehurst Parish Council and Duke of Edinburgh schemes, as well as creating fantastic showcasing opportunities such as the Youth Music Nights at Waterside Centre.

We still have vacancies available to join our amazing team, so please get in touch to find out more.

The autumn will see #YouthWorkWeek in November, and there are lots of ways to get involved and share your messages about the importance of youth work here. Berkshire Youth will be starting the celebrations a little early with the Official Opening of Waterside and Berkshire Youth Celebration on 3 November at Waterside Centre. It promises to be a great evening celebrating all we have achieved in the last year.

I want to close by saying thank you for your continued support. Berkshire Youth relies heavily on support from the community to raise funds for the vital support we offer young people. We have been delighted that many of you have nominated us as a charity in fundraising schemes across supermarkets, shops and schemes such as The Giving Machine. All these donations to Berkshire Youth play an important part in keeping our services going.

As families begin to struggle financially with autumn, it is more important than ever that we keep the doors open and services running to support young people when they need us.

Thank you for being a supporter of Berkshire Youth, and sharing our ambition to support more young people in our communities. Thank you!

David