the Help Files....

The Cathedral Gardens Project
4. Engagement - Peer Youth Work Project
Previous3. Project Style & Methods
Next 5. Other Project Element

"Without sounding too big headed,
we are looked up to by some people and it’s a nice feeling
because you feel like you’ve helped them and
they’re helping you by the experience, it’s like give and take"
Peer Youth Work interviews - Joanne Massey

“I know I got a hell of a lot of experience from the job that helps me with normal
life as well as work. I also enjoyed the amount of opportunities to talk to people
I would otherwise have no reason to talk to, helping them etc.”
Appraisal Report - Peer Youth Workers

For many of the Peer Youth Workers this is their first employment. Initial induction gives a background to the project, its aims and objectives, and youth work methodology. Before Peer Youth Workers can undertake detached work, training is given on team working, health and safety, professional boundaries and recording. Further sessions are delivered on an ongoing basis, including self defence, first aid and communication skills. Where possible, issue based training is sourced from specialist agencies and includes referral pathways.

Peer Youth Workers first task is to conduct research questionnaires, from there they grow to providing advice and information, recruiting and supervising volunteers and ultimately designing and running their own projects. During this time the Peer Youth Workers steer the Cathedral Gardens Project, making decisions about methods and priorities, as well as bidding for funding themselves. They also represent their peers at meetings with stakeholders and other agencies.

This approach is more time consuming than conventional disorder-reduction projects, and there are significant supervisory challenges involved when giving the Peer Youth Workers more power and responsibility than many adult Youth Workers have. However, young people have reacted very positively, taking ownership of the project and achieving real change in their peer group. In addition, there are benefits and learning experiences for individual young people that would be impossible to replicate in conventional 'issue-based' youth work sessions.
Project element Young people involved extent of involvement images
Peer Youth Work Project Plan 2006

3 Young People

hayj, Kaydence_x, tashy_boi 

contributed to Peer Youth Work Project Proposal, in particular to Peer Youth Worker role and responsibilities, specific tasks and targets
  23 Young People consulted on need for Peer Youth Workers and priorities for their work
Peer Youth Worker Recruitment 2006

2 Young People

including Kaydence_x

 Equal members of interview panel with one third say in decisions.
Peer Youth Worker Training 2006

8 Peer Youth Workers

Jake, miss 13, x_non_x, cat, Gina-Goo, The_Johnster, Claireyfairey, Abe

Training By Cathedral Gardens Project: Project Induction, Detached Work, Communications Skills, Project Appraisal.

Training By other Agencies: Mental Health (42nd Street), Sexuality (Lesbian & Gay Youth Manchester), Writing Funding Bids (Voluntary Youth Manchester), Breakaway Self Defence (Manchester Enterprises).
Peer Youth Work Project Delivery 2006

8 Peer Youth Workers

Jake, miss 13, x_non_x, cat, Gina-Goo, The_Johnster, Claireyfairey, Abe

All Peer Youth Workers involved in research surveys, doing outreach work, assessing needs, engaging and reporting to stakeholders.

Numbers of young people listed for projects below generally do not include the Peer Youth Workers delivering or supervising work.
Survey by Peer Youth Workers April 2006 221 Young People completed 2 page survey conducted by Peer Youth Workers.
Young Volunteers taking part in litter picks supervised by Peer Youth Workers 60+ Young People volunteer litter picking does not have a fixed duration and young volunteers are not asked to give their details. As a result estimate only can be made from photographs. Some volunteers spent a few minutes cleaning the area where their friends were sitting, other would give 30 minutes or more week after week.
Focus Groups for Academic research May 2006  28 Young People

Took part in 2 hour research session conducted by Joanne Massey of MMU as part of her 'Music, Place and Identity' paper.

This was structured in such a way as to encourage young people to reflect on their use of the space and their shared identity. It also helped them to develop a vocabulary to communicate on subcultural issues that are important to them but frequently derided by adults.
Young People taking part in Art Group trips organised by Peer Youth Workers 7 Young People

Travelled to the TATE gallery in Liverpool as well as visiting the URBIS museum in Manchester to spend time drawing in each.

This led into the Day in the Life and Ansa elevator art projects hosted by URBIS
Peer Youth Workers 'People & Outfits' project

4 Young People

him. skribbz, gee, Claireyfairey,

 Volunteer photographers for the project, celebrating individuality, creativity and diversity. Their work was displayed on the urbisunderground website and each picture was viewed an average of 150 times. The Cathedral gardens Project later worked with URBIS staff to choose a number of these pictures to create the who's on urbis? exhibition.
  140+ Young People Young People who were photographed, many of whom subsequently accessed the urbisunderground website.

Cash Grant application 2006-7

 3 Peer Youth Workers One of the messages the Peer Youth Workers got back consistently was that there are not enough bins. The council maintain that there are, and that adding more would damage garden's character.

The Peer Youth Workers decided that the next best thing was to try and get cigarette bins installed in the gardens, as many young people are unaware that they will get fined for dropping cigarette butts.

They therefore put in an application for a CASH grant. New bins need to match existing stock, and this is expensive, at £6,000+. However, the bid was successful, and cigarette bins are on their way!
Survey by Peer Youth Workers Oct 2006 97 Young People

completed 2 page survey conducted by Peer Youth Workers.

results....
Water Bottles 500 Units

The Peer Youth Workers wanted something practical to help them when engaging young people who were under the influence of alcohol.

They came up with the idea of reusable water bottles that would be printed with some simple advice and contact details for Eclypse. Funding was obtained from the Drug and Alcohol Strategy Team at Manchester City Council for 500 units. These have proven to be very popular and useful in several ways.
Peer Youth Work Project Appraisal Oct 2006

5 Peer Youth Workers

x_non_x, Gina-Goo, The_Johnster, Claireyfairey, Abe

Peer Youth Workers came together for a weekend to write an Appraisal Report for the project, covering all of it's original Aims and Objectives, in depth, discussing each one and evidencing their work.
Peer Youth Workers partnership with Eclypse outreach worker.

 
Peer Youth Workers support Group research Dec 2006

2 Peer Youth Workers

x_non_x, Gina-Goo

 Identified the need for professional training and access to referrals to be delivered in ways which will positively reinforce the existing social and support networks young people have through their use of Cathedral Gardens. Planned and conducted a focus group to consult on ways to deliver and market this idea.
 

24 Young People,

including lil_emo77, Mattus, tori, sk8ergal,

took active part in meeting to develop the concept of a Support Group for young people using Cathedral gardens. Decided priorities and appropriate methods for engagement.
Peer Youth Worker Recruitment 2007

4 Peer Youth Workers

Gina-Goo, The_Johnster, Claireyfairey, Abe

Previous Years Peer Youth Workers designed questions, conducted interviews and had two-thirds say in decisions.
Peer Youth Worker Training 2007

8 Peer Youth Workers

sk8ergal, ayesha\m/, Danny Jacov, Emma_Kate, Fallen Angel, grave digger, han_lily, Kyle

Training By Cathedral Gardens Project: Project Induction, Detached Work

Training By other Agencies: Managing Volunteers (Depaul Trust), Breakaway Self Defence (Manchester Enterprises), Substance Misuse (Eclypse), Basic First Aid (St Johns Ambulance)
Peer Youth Work Project Delivery 2007

12 Peer Youth Workers

Gina-Goo, The_Johnster, Claireyfairey, Abe, sk8ergal, ayesha\m/, Danny Jacov, Emma_Kate, Fallen Angel, grave digger, han_lily, Kyle

All Peer Youth Workers involved in outreach work, assessing needs, design and creation of positive activities, suopervision of volunteers and engaging and reporting to stakeholders.

Numbers of young people listed for projects below do not include the Peer Youth Workers delivering or supervising work.
Peer Youth Workers Battle of the Bands 8 Young People Volunteers acting as stewards and runners on the night.
  20 Young People Band members performing at the event
  256 Young People

Audience attending

"I thank the peer youth workers and volunteers for organizing a great event which entertained everyone.”
Peer Youth Worker Drug and Alcohol Advice Leaflet 29 Young People Young people taking part in staged photo shoot around Cathedral Gardens and Gasworks areas.
  60+ young people Young people consulted by Peer Youth Workers on need for leaflet and suggested content
Peer Youth Worker supervised Volunteer Litter Picks 2007 38 Young People (to mid June) Young People volunteering on Saturday afternoons to collect litter around Cathedral Gardens for anything from 5-45 minutes.
Peer Youth Workers support Group 2007 19 Young People (to mid June) The Support Group aims to build on the positive social space these young people have created in Cathedral Gardens by giving them skills, knowledge and confidence to better help themselves and their friends. It is an informal group, guided by its members.
 
Peer Youth Work proposal and Plan, Rory Coyle, 2006
Peer Youth Workers Appraisal Report, Peer Youth Workers, Cathedral Gardens Project, October 2006
Previous 3. Project Style & Methods
Next 5. Other Project Element
  1. About the Project
  2. About the Gardens
  3. Project Style & Methods
  4. Peer Youth Worker Project
  5. Other Project Elements
  6. The National Picture
  7. Getting Serious About Play
  8. Youth Matters
  9. Hear By Right
  10. Involving children and Young People
  11. Project achievements
  12. Future Plans
  13. Thankyou