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Author: Samantha Latchayya

YCC’s NEW Website

Posted on by Samantha Latchayya

On 15th March, Fresh Futures launched their new, modern website: www.freshfutures.org.uk

The website was a much needed modernisation to the old site, and allows Fresh Futures to not only reach out to supporters and volunteers, but also to act as a platform for potential service users to access important information that can really make a difference!

Our top 3 favourite things about the website are:

  1. The Our People page – where you can get to know our Trustees, Leadership Team and Managers, viewing their hobbies, and – the best bit… their old baby pictures

2. Our Superhero images – that show children as we see them… SUPER!

3. Our Volunteer With Us page, where you can find out about the MANY MANY ways that you can get involved with Fresh Futures and support a GREAT cause!

Fresh Futures would like to take this opportunity to thank supporters Martin Port, from Big Change, and Daniel Todd from Proactive Code, whose kindness and generosity has enabled the charity to create the new site.

We would like to send an extended thank you to Mark Crow and the rest of the team at Proactive Code, who worked with us almost every day over the last four months, to get the website completed over a short period of time and to an excellent standard.

Martin Port, from Big Change, left this message for the Fresh Futures team.

YCC’s Strategy Launch

Posted on by Samantha Latchayya

Over the past 6 months, Fresh Futures has been working with employees, volunteers and Trustees to agree the upcoming 3-year strategy that will cover the charity’s 50th year anniversary. This includes work on the charity’s mission, vision and core values.

The charity was established in 1974 by Brian Jackson, and since then has grown from strength to strength, broadening its reach to children and families across South and West Yorkshire year upon year, continuing the legacy that Brian created, to Improve Lives and Inspire Change.

Over the last few years, and certainly since the start of the pandemic, the required scope of services and levels of people in need of support have increased significantly.

Whilst children and young people will forever be at the heart of everything that the charity does, we also recognise the importance of supporting families, to in turn give better support to the children. The need to provide more care for the mental health and wellbeing of children and parents has been highlighted, as has the need to provide opportunities for parents to enhance their employability skills.

Furthermore, the need to build stronger family relationships and support new family dynamics has remained critical over the last few years. Finally, our experience working with students in our alternative provision colleges has only further emphasised the huge positive impact that this has on young adults. We are therefore keen to continue expanding our college provisions, to support students into adulthood, providing them with key skills, qualifications, confidence and a greater opportunity to succeed in life.

The upcoming 3-year strategy takes all of these factors into consideration, whilst also introducing some exiting logistical plans.

At the core of the strategy, sits the child. Children and Young People are at the heart of everything that Fresh Futures does, and every service that Fresh Futures offers will link back to the child.

The four CORE STRANDS of the charity’s strategy, cover the following themes:

  • Education
  • Health and Wellbeing
  • Employment & Skills
  • Relationships

All of YCC’s services will seek to encompass these themes.

We look forward to working further on our strategy, and will communicate our final strategy and plans to all of our stakeholders, in the near future.

#WeAreYCC

Volunteer of the Month: March

Posted on by Samantha Latchayya

We love recognising our volunteers! This month, our volunteer of the month was nominated by YCC’s Thriving Kirklees team. Gareth started volunteering for the team when he heard they needed a helping hand with their admin. Gareth jumped to the rescue and donated dozens of hours to facilitate the delivery of Safety Rangers! THANK YOU GARETH!!

See what Gareth had to say when we interviewed him, below:

Name: Gareth Morris

Tell us a little about yourself? I found out about volunteering whilst on the Hopeful Families service and put myself forward as a volunteer, to feel useful.

How long have you been volunteering for the charity? Around 6 months.

Explain your volunteering role: When the TK team do their Safety Rangers event, they have around 300 gift bags to hand to the children that attend. I organised each and every gift bag to make sure every single child would receive one during the event.

What made you want to start volunteering with YCC? I wanted to build my confidence with others, feel useful and have something positive to do.

And finally, what advice would you give to people considering volunteering with YCC? If you’re looking for something do then why not volunteer? I was very happy after volunteering because it was really appreciated and made a big difference whilst saving a few hours out of the day for the staff members so they could do everything else they have to do.

If you would like to volunteer in our Charity Shop, or dedicate your time to another of our services, please contact Lucy, YCC’s Volunteering Development Officer, on 07849 398829 or email [email protected].

Fresh Futures is nominated for the COVID HERO award at the Yorkshire Choice Awards

Posted on by Samantha Latchayya

Please support Fresh Futures by placing your vote HERE

Dear Fresh Futures employees and volunteers,

This well-deserved award recognises the immense efforts of Fresh Futures employees and volunteers throughout the course of the pandemic.

The pandemic affected every one of us on a personal level, yet every single Fresh Futures employee and volunteer shone during this time, going above and beyond your roles to support those in difficult situations.

This award is a great way to recognise and celebrate what YOU achieved, and the differences your efforts made, since 2019. Congratulations to each of you!

The winner of this award will be announced on 06th May, and will be decided by an online public vote, which closes on 31st March.

Whether we win the award with the most votes, or not, this is an incredible celebration of everyone’s individual and team efforts. Acknowledging the sleepless nights, the extra hours and the selflessness that each of you showed to others whilst supporting Fresh Futures.

Of course, it would be a great honour to win the award, and would have a huge positive impact upon the charity and the awareness of our services. To that end, we would like to ask each of your to support this nomination, by placing your vote for Fresh Futures in the Yorkshire Choice Awards, Covid Hero category. If we all come together to collect votes, we will have a strong chance to win!

Here’s a glimpse of some of the things that we did to deserve this nomination…

Please don’t forget to vote, and SHARE, SHARE, SHARE this news with your friends, family and colleagues.

Volunteer of the Month: February

Posted on by Samantha Latchayya

It’s really important that we take the time to recognise our volunteers – as without them, the charity would not be able to help so many people across the community.

This month we are thanking Jason Scott, who has been supporting YCC’s charity shop, for over a decade! Here’s what Jason had to say about his time volunteering at Pass It On.

Name: Jason Scott.

Tell us a little about yourself? I am an avid Leeds United supporter and I also enjoy listening to music and watching DVDs. I enjoy all types of music and films including comedy, drama and thrillers.

How long have you been volunteering for the charity? I returned in December after Covid lockdowns etc., but prior to that I had volunteered for approximately 10 years.

Explain your volunteering role: I volunteer in the Pass It On shop in Heckmondwike 1 day each week.  I assist the team with the day to day running of the shop and help out in any way I can. I like to keep busy during my shift.

What made you want to start volunteering with YCC? I started volunteering with Pass It On through an occupational therapist – she suggested that this might help with my social skills and build my confidence.

Sum up a typical day of volunteering for you? I make sure any beds which have been sold are dismantled ready for delivery that week. I then build up more donated beds to replace these for sale. I make sure all the DVDs are topped up and in age range order. I help to make the shop presentable by arranging the layout and vacuuming the shop floor.

And finally, what advice would you give to people considering volunteering with YCC? I would advise anyone wanting to volunteer with Fresh Futures to give it a go, as they are a great bunch of people and you can work in a friendly atmosphere and  learn new skills in different roles available.

If you would like to volunteer in our Charity Shop, or dedicate your time to another of our services, please contact Lucy, YCC’s Volunteering Development Officer, on 07849 398829 or email [email protected].

Children’s Mental Health Week

Posted on by Samantha Latchayya

Yorkshire Children’s Centre’s Thriving Kirklees department is proud to support Children’s Mental Health Week, created by Place2Be – a children’s mental health organisation that works with pupils, families and staff in UK schools.

Children’s Mental Health Week runs from 7th – 13th February. This year’s theme is ‘Growing Together’.

How are Fresh Futures supporting Children’s Mental Health

1. During Children’s Mental Health Week, the Thriving Kirklees Team at Fresh Futures will be sending out our Emotional Health & Wellbeing activity packs to all Kirklees Primary Schools. The packs are predominantly aimed at year 5 & 6 pupils, but they can also be used by professionals supporting families, or families themselves.

You can download a free copy of this activity pack, by clicking HERE. 

2. The Thriving Kirklees Partnership have also developed another helpful document for adults supporting children. This includes advice on supporting children that are struggling with lockdown, positive language to use when speaking with children, was to identiful anxiety in children, tips on creating a positive structure and routine, helping a child back into school, and much much more.

You can download a free copy of this children’s wellbeing guide, by clicking HERE. 

3. Thriving Kirklees, Northorpe Hall, NHS South West Yorkshire Partnership and Fresh Futures have developed a collection of free emotional health and wellbeing resources.

You can download a free copy of this document, by clicking HERE. 

4. To tie in with the theme of ‘Growing Together’, Fresh Futures will be giving away free packs of seeds to visitors to Brian Jackson House, who have children at home, to plant together. Gardening has long been credited for it’s positive impacts on health and wellbeing.

To read more about the 5 ways that gardening can be good for children’s mental wellbeing, click HERE.

To get your free seeds, please visit Brian Jackson House and request your seed packets from reception. 

Katie Lockwood, YCC’s 0-19 Health and Wellbeing Service Manager, said, ‘The Thriving Kirklees team at Fresh Futures are proud to support Children’s Mental Health Week this year and ever year. The mental health and wellbeing of a all children is fundamental to the work that we do at the charity, and we are dedicated to providing information that is free to access, and easy to understand, to everyone who cares for children, with no barriers to information.’

To contact the Thriving Kirklees team at YCC, please call 01484 519988 or email [email protected]

#WeAreYCC