Co-op Warm Spaces Funding Boost has provided £1,545 of match funding
Ochiltree Community Hub the "Catalyst for Change"
Cumnock, East Ayrshire Council, United Kingdom
Aim
The aim is to create a youth "reach out" work experience scheme offering their first employment to boost confidence and self esteem.
The Ochiltree Community Hub a SCIO Charity SCO45152
Formed in 2014 for the purpose of raising £2m to build a replacement for the old community centre and library built in 1970, and which the local council was closing. If not built this would leave our rural community with no access to facilities or services in which to improve health, wellbeing and inclusion.
The vision was to create a vibrant, welcoming and inclusive setting that could be enjoyed by all our community residents, a catalyst for change within our community and those nearby.
Community impact
From opening in July 2019 the Hub has gone from strength to strength with the cafe and let spaces being used not only by the communities locally but by the local councils and businesses. The Hub runs birthday parties, funeral teas, all manner of sports from indoor football, badminton, table tennis, TKD and fitness classes. the local dance school rune three different age groups weekly.
The Hub has been used for flu injections, hearing aid clinic and was audited for Covid injections by the NHS and Army
Why are we crowdfunding?
There is one demographic that we want to reach which is the 13-17 year old group which is why we are applying.
The aim is to engage and create a "bank of young people" 6 -12 in number initially on a pilot scheme to work in the Hub with specific job roles (tuck shop, cafe duties etc) giving them somewhere meaningful to go, offer live workplace experience and it's responsibilities, building onto their platform of independent living skills, reduce social isolation and encourage social skills and their confidence and importantly being paid for their time. Alongside their employment we would invite the young people to engage in preparation to adulthood sessions covering generic areas for example personal finance, Independent cooking and travel skills to arm them with the skills needed in further education.
Giving a meaningful and positive experience of earning their own money (proposing £6 per hour) giving personal finance management and knowledge of cost of living,
How we’ll spend the money raised:
Through paying our youth volunteers £6 per hour worked, their benefits would include finance management, working within a team with practical hands on roles, create opportunities in a safe environment where parents are happy for them to integrate into the community.
The Hub would include monthly youth engagement meeting (staff meeting to them) and invite guest speakers on internet safety, healthy eating, cooking lessons, teambuilding sports and personal safety as part of their programme.
Add an image here, then delete this text.
This project successfully funded on 31st March 2023