Big Brother Burngreave
BBB
Youth at risk
As a diverse community we continue to experience many hardships: discrimination, poverty, high unemployment rates as well as knife crime. These challenges not only affect the adults of the community, it also puts our youth at risk.
This can put pressure on young people as they feel like they have no stability. This pressure in young people, without the proper support, can unfortunately lead to issues regarding mental health and even suicide.
"Dream job"
Nevertheless, there have been many volunteer organisations that target youth and aim to eliminate these contributing factors to criminal activity. However, these organisations are struggling to sustain themselves due to lack of funding and resources. We, as Reach Up, are a thriving youth organisation that has worked with the community since 2013.
Not only we have been helping young people through sports, but have mentored them academically. Volunteering experiences and career events have inspired members of the community to aim for their “dream job.”
First fund
The kick-start
In January 2017, we received our first fund from Yorkshire Sport of £500. We utilised this to kick-start many a few of our successful projects:
- A mentoring scheme between older and younger people across Sheffield. The older members of our group would act as “buddies” to their younger peers. This group would take part in various sports such as football and basketball weekly. There would also be frequent sessions to discuss issues present in the community such as knife crime, gang association and anti-social behaviour.
- We were able to produce t-shirts of different colours with our logo to represent the brand. It allowed our members to feel like they are part of a team.
- With the funding we began sports training programmes, mental health workshops and mentoring schemes.
"Clever scheme"
This organisation has been recognised across the nation as a “clever scheme” that engages with young lives of a diverse background. We work closely with local businesses and the University of Sheffield.
Recently, we have celebrated winning the Burngreave Ward Community Star Awards 2019, and the Sheffield Celebration of Sport 2018 ‘Move More Power of Sport’.
The structure
It’s very important to have structure at a place of young youth. Not control as you want the project to be run by them and they feel empowered of achieving. It was crucial that we had spent most of the focus creating positions & responsibilities and with that comes different colour t-shirts.
We have 3 leaders that stay with us from 17 until they are off to university or work, their duties are to lead sessions, in charge of the youth safeguarding, first aid, meet and greet, registrations, empower and engage with new comers and shadow the co-ordinate in the outreach visits and making some decisions.
We have 6 champions that show leadership, outspoken, good at promotion and also good attendance in the weekly sessions and the rest are participants.
This is a very positive cycle to introduce to these young youth that is looking for responsibilities and purpose in their lives. It’s been 3 years and they boys are working hard to stand out with their good behaviour and show their initiatives. They are now our ambassadors to connect with their own schools and colleges.
Ambassador
Leader
Champion
Any age
College
17yrs to 20yrs
Secondary
11yrs to 16yrs
Meet the team
Abdul Malik Onasanya
Sahal Berreh
Tesfahun Awoke
Rafiq
Tyron
Ambassadors
Leaders
Champions
Umar
Yousuf
Mohamed
Ilyas
Abdusabur
Workshops
This is to keep the youth focused on issues and how to communicate their frustrations. Also teaching them critical thinking, how to look for solutions, reach out for help and also understand their environment.
So we design workshops around issues:
Youth mental health issues / how to seek help
Rules of the group. Empowering to make their rules to be a ‘Big Brother’ quality, listing their aims and objectives for the future.
Problem solving
Reflection conversation
Careers
Engagement tools, communications, activities, drama, etc.
Engagement events
Young people like to get involved with these events as it’s their proudest day to promote something they believe in. Giving each number of leaders to guide the guests to our activates, presentations, tools and conversation. It’s a great idea as we have to keep recruiting young people to the project so we have to make it unique, effective and relevant.
The Reach Up group have achieved many of their goals. However, the group will keep on aiming to help the youth in need. There are future prospects on the horizon. In July 2019, we had organised Sheffield’s largest fundraising event against knife crime at the Concord Centre. This was an event to unite all members of the community, where there were a BBQ, sports activities and entertainment. We raised £900! Our message was clear:
