Why we do what we do!

If you have been following emerge news for a while, you should be in no doubt that we have a lot of fun within our youth work and that our team of staff and volunteers are full of passion and creativity. What the exciting pictures don’t always reveal, is the level of thoughtful planning which takes place behind the scenes to ensure that each session is as positive, engaging and impactful as it can be.

This term our team is thinking together about ‘Why we do what we do’. We are looking at the different elements of our work, talking together about how they impact young people, and how different aspects work creatively together.

Some of this is simple. For example:

• Sports and active sessions support young people to be physically healthier, but also support positive mental wellbeing.
• Events which make memories together create a shared sense of belonging and identity.

We also aim to think deeper and ask ourselves questions such as; “How does this project fit within national themes and trends amongst young people?”, and “What can we learn from academic research and theories to help us improve our work?”

Most importantly of all, we value the opinion of young people. We use questionnaires and conversations to make sure we understand opinions, and love to hear a young person telling us how a session or activity has made a difference for them.

The winter months are a great opportunity for us to get creative with arts and crafts!  In our next news page we’ll be thinking about the importance of offering creative opportunities within our youth work – and why we do what we do!