Tanyard Youth Project

Aim: We want to keep our 300+ children and young people safe, warm and well fed this winter.

We support children and young people's mental health and well-being by providing a safe place to be in a deprived rural area.  We are open six evenings each week and run holiday activities and outings too.  

We provide training in Youth Work, Employability and Enterprise Skills and we offer lots of opportunities for volunteering.  We usually have a mix of about 10 adult and young volunteers.

The Tanyard is always busy with arts, crafts, music, sports, film, photography, drama, games, gardening and cooking, and our staff are always ready to provide help and advice on a range of issues.

On Mondays we provide a quieter drop-in session for children and young people with anxiety disorders or autism.  This is a tailored session where appropriately trained staff provide additional support.  Some home-educated children attend these quieter sessions. 

We run a weekly peer support group for people with mobility issues.    This group tackles social isolation and improves mental health too.

Since 2018 we have employed young people on a film and photography project that helps local groups to promote what they do.  These young people have learned new skills and created some stunning online content.   

Our small film and music studio is a fantastic resource where children can learn to write and play music, sing, try instruments and learn DJ skills.  It is a place where lifelong interest can be sparked and confidence is boosted.  

Our dedicated staff create a wonderful atmosphere of fun and creativity and are always available to listen without judgement.  Dealing with everything from bruises and boyfriend trouble to county lines, self-harm and suicide, our small team of youth workers has a wealth of talent and extraordinary commitment to the young people we support.