CYP Policy and Developments

The Context
Mapping Progress in the 4 Main Areas
Proposal (2004 - 2005)
Developments Since June 2004

We are extremely conscious of the importance that is currently attached to the need for a healthier population and the international, national and local priorities reflect this need.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has identified the need for every country to develop a model of “health-promoting schools” and clearly identifies the vital link between schools, education, health and general well-being. Although we at CYP have been unable to identify clearly defined targets for organisations similar to this, the aforementioned criteria for the development of health-promoting schools is relevant, in the main, to projects such as this.

The White Paper “Towards a Healthier Scotland” clearly recognises the need for improved health through a variety of routes including the Healthy Respect demonstration project. The two particular initiatives, “Healthy Living” (healthy eating linked to physical activity) and “Know The Score” (drugs prevention and Advice) are of specific relevance and interest to CYP. They also link to the nationally agreed Social Justice Milestones that we continue to work towards.

At a local level, the stated corporate aims of the City Council and the more specific aims as outlined within “The Children’s Services Plan” and the “Working Together” strategy also complement the targets as described above in the bigger picture.

Mapping Progress (July 2003 - June 2004)

For many years, Canongate Youth Project has attempted to develop a range of healthy living options into its work, sometimes with success and sometimes not. Over the past year staff have made a concerted effort to develop this work in line with the priorities as outlined above and, as a result, we are now able to map the progress made over a twelve-month period.

The vast majority of this work has taken place without additional resources, with the major exceptions being a grant received for our Mental Health Week programme, “Chill ‘N Fill”, an SIP grant from the Edinburgh Drugs Action Team and a little money from SportScotland to subsidise Crags Sports Centre access in its first year of operation (2003/2004).

Healthy Eating

All the different parts of the Project offer regular cooking sessions to young people and these sessions will always include information and advice on healthy and cheap options. Our oldest youth club, 14-18 years includes preparing and making a meal on a regular basis in its programme.

In the autumn of 2003, a decision was taken within the Project to attempt to provide a range of healthy eating options through our tuck shop. As a result, we have been able, quite successfully, to change eating habits within our clubs. We have been able to provide a range of cheap fruit, a range of flavoured waters and diet drinks, (replacing sugary ones) and crisps that are not full of additives and are not fried.

Physical Activity

Over a number of years Project staff were involved in a local fund raising campaign to have a sports centre built in the area. In April 2003 the Crags Sports Centre was opened and ever since then, young people from the Project have been actively involved on a regular basis. Our teenage mixed gender youth clubs have a regular booking, as does our 8 - 12 years club. In addition, all of our other clubs and our training scheme use the centre regularly. Activities include use of the fitness gym, ootball, basketball, badminton, dance, hockey, etc.

In addition to this regular use, the Project engages with Sports Centre staff to ensure that school holiday programmes are made accessible to local young people. This is in addition to our own holiday programmes, which in the past year have provided opportunities for young people between the ages of five and twenty one years of age to enjoy swimming, football, canoeing, sailing, rock climbing, abseiling, keep fit, basketball, badminton, trampolining, dance and access to the bouncy castle.

Other regular activities include ice-skating, swimming (including swimming lessons for the under 8’s), and trips to local parks to undertake sports and games sessions. The Project owns a bouncy castle and this provides young people of all ages with excellent exercise. Two dance mats were also purchased a year ago and they too provide excellent exercise for all of our age ranges. Clubs also provide dance instruction in association with “Dancebase”.

Both the clubs for under 12’s have introduced a regular indoor games session, which once a term provides and introduces children to a range of new games. We have also been able to introduce this service into the two local primary schools and to the local out of school care project.

The Project also provides its club members with access to residential trips such as to the Isle of Mull and all of these trips provide access to an exciting range of outdoor activities including swimming (indoors and outdoors), canoeing, “jungle bashing”, ice-skating, gorge walking, waterfall jumping, rock climbing, abseiling, and coasteering.

Sexual Health

For a number of years the Project has provided the C:Card service, however the Project has now been designated a C:Card Plus centre which allows staff to provide sexual health advice and condoms to 13-15 years. All of the paid staff of the Project have undergone appropriate training in this matter. The Project also continues to provide a Chlamydia testing service to young people through the Healthy Respect campaign.

The CAST team has also provided five sexual health sessions to groups of trainees and the girls club includes this as a regular programme item.

Mental Health

In October 2003 the Project was awarded a grant by Lothian NHS Board and was able to hold a series of events as part of Mental Health Week entitled “Chill ‘N Fill”. This project is subject to a separate report, however it provided a range of activities including healthy eating sessions, smoothie making, Indian Head massage, yoga, acupuncture and aromatherapy.

Self-esteem work is undertaken with young people throughout the different areas of the Project’ work and schools regularly request this work for individual students. The Project also provides regular group work programmes in the local high schools on self-esteem, confidence building and anger management.

The CAST team has also provided sessions within the girls club on self-esteem and confidence building and also provided two confidence-building sessions to trainees within the Project.

Other Areas

Two members of staff have recently completed a course on tutoring smoking cessation groups and we intend to pilot these groups with teenagers in the Project.

The CAST team have provided all young people within the Project access to drug and alcohol advice and education with three specific sessions being aimed at trainees on the training scheme. This team are also currently planning to provide these sessions to adult and parent groups within the community. The Project recently took delivery of a “drugs training suitcase”

We are also providing information to all young people through a dedicated notice board in the coffee bar area. This notice board is regularly updated and includes information on specific events at specific times of the year, for example, National Aids Day, Mental Health Week, Contraceptive Awareness Week, Victim Support Week and National No Smoking Day.

The Project has also developed a large database of useful, interesting and young people-friendly leaflets on a huge range of subjects related to healthy living and these leaflets are made available to young people at every opportunity.

Staff have recently compiled a health promotion resource book, which holds examples of all materials discussed above, and this enables staff to clearly identify what leaflets are available. Young people are also able to access the book to allow them to identify appropriate materials to meet their particular needs.

Developments since 2004

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