Young Gloucestershire

Young Gloucestershire

    Our speaker for the evening of 4^th September was Chris Long from Young Gloucestershire.  As a result of his own experience, he had changed his career to get involved.

     A part of Young Gloucestershire is Arc House, which was formerly Stroud Housing for Young People.  It provides high quality, self -contained accommodation with support for the young, single and vulnerable homeless.  The scheme aims to prepare residents to move to full independence by helping them to gain the skills required to move competently into their own tenancies.

     The House has resident support workers who assist with all areas of support including benefits advice, budgeting, cooking, training and education.

     The Club has donated funds to support cooking and the use of a kitchen.  This includes hygiene and the safe use of knives. Some of the youngsters have no experience of social activity  around a meal table.  They may have anger issues, problems with mental health and/or drug abuse and support is needed in these areas.

      The House runs a Programme supported by the Princes Trust,  that recognises the youngsters do not have sufficient life skills to be employable.  It is supporting a two week programme that includes budgeting and meal planning. (including what can be frozen for use another day.)

     Chris Long noted that in his experience, most of the residents were folk who had been let down by their parents and family and that the majority of bad behaviour stemmed from unresolved trauma earlier in life.

      It was apparent that this was a very worthwhile cause.

John Walden