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News

  • Annual Report 2024

    Berkshire Youth Annual Report (002)

    7 November 2024

  • Waterside’s 2nd Birthday!

    Today, we are celebrating the second anniversary of Waterside Centre reopening.

    3 August 2023

  • Duck Race

    Our friends at the Rotary Club of Reading Abbey have asked us to share news of the charity fundraising event they’re running at The Oracle on Saturday 9 September.

    31 July 2023

  • Tilehurst Youth Club

    Thank you to youth worker Jessica for this update!

    31 July 2023

  • Waterside – July 2023

    Kelly told us: “The summer months bring a range of activity to Waterside Centre.

    31 July 2023

  • The Wayz – July 2023

    A real summer of fun at The Ways; the month started brilliantly with the Community Fun Day and Bracknell Together Walk.

    31 July 2023

  • Britwell – July 2023

    Britwell Youth and Community Project’s Summer Holiday Club is running from Monday 24 July– Friday 18 August (daily Monday – Friday), 11am – 3pm.

    31 July 2023

  • Updates from our Flagship Youth Clubs

    Please click on the links below for the latest updates from our flagship youth clubs in Slough, Bracknell and Newbury.

    31 July 2023

  • Youth Development and Community Engagement Update

    The school holidays are now upon us and our summer programmes are in full swing.

    31 July 2023

  • Training News

    Here are our upcoming training courses, including posters.

    31 July 2023

Day in the Life of our Operations Director, Sarah

26 August 2021

Here, we catch up with our inspirational Operations Director, Sarah, to learn more about the important role she has at Berkshire Youth.

What’s a typical working day for you?
Once I’ve walked my dog and dropped my three children at school, work begins! My first task of the day is usually checking in on messages and emails that have come in since I was last working. As I’m part time this can sometimes be quite a few!  My day is then usually interspersed with meetings, now mostly via Zoom/Teams. These can range from meetings with staff and Trustees about our projects and programmes, to contract meetings with funders or with community groups or Parish/town councils. Around this I’m working on funding bids and writing reports for existing funders.

What do you find most challenging about being involved in youth work?
We know that working with young people early and consistently will help young people create a sense of belonging and stability, that will help them weather the tough storms whilst transitioning through adolescence. Despite knowing this, and proving this time and again, as Berkshire Youth we still find ourselves in the position of seeking funding for every element of our work. The current funding of services for young people is about crisis work. This frustrates me, as I think our young people deserve better than waiting to be in crisis to access support services. Our young people deserve the opportunity to engage, to have a sense of belonging to be empowered and informed to make positive choices. Our biggest challenge is the lack of opportunity and ambition for our young people and therefore the lack of funding to support the vision Berkshire Youth has for young people.

What do you enjoy most about your job?
When it works! The hours of bid writing, the campaigning local funders and authorities for funding to support our young people… It is all worth it when you see a young person involved in our work. When that young person is in a better place because Berkshire Youth believed they deserved more and fought for the funding to provide that support/service or project; when staff tell me of the tears of honesty and joy they share with young people, as that young person realises that the world does care about them; when life for that young person might be that bit brighter because of Berkshire Youth; then I know the grey hairs and sleepless nights are worth it!

What is your background?
I have worked for Berkshire Youth for 15 years, originally joining as a Sports Development Officer and now working as Operations Director. I joined having had experience in sports settings and the sense of community that could create for young people. Youth work created that same sense of belonging for a different group of young people. I still firmly believe in community-based programmes for young people and for us, as the adults in our community, to take responsibility to create support and opportunities for young people locally.

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