Ykids
We believe in enabling children to become the best that they can be, develop emotional resilience and reach their full potential. We encourage youth leadership, volunteering, skills development and dreaming dreams. Our vision is for a world where children feel safe, loved and lead happy, productive lives, making a positive impact in their own lives and in the lives of others.
Our Vision
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'To equip children and young people to become world changers'
Our vision is to raise world changers – young people who believe that they can, and then do make a difference.
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We live in a global village with infinite access through many forms of communication which offers a plethora of opportunities to today’s young people, but it also exposes them to the many issues and challenges. It’s easy for young people to become despondent and feel powerless at the sheer volume of problems in the world today, however everyone can make a difference – whether big or small if they believe they can and have the emotional resilience to keep going even when the going gets tough.
Our Aims
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1. Make Change
To equip children and young people to cope with whatever life throws at them, have plans and hopes for their future and skills to make their dreams a reality.
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Life can be tough for young people today whatever their background but more so if you are growing up in a deprived community with fewer opportunities, but with, safe places to be and belong, people who believe in and champion you and opportunities to gain practical and life skills then anything can be achieved. We promote positive mental health and wellbeing and work to enable young people grow in emotional resilience, personal confidence and hope for an exciting future.
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How?
Youth and children’s projects, CBT programmes, Cooking, community gardening, bee keeping and other skill-based programmes, Homework clubs, Literacy projects, school workshops and extra-curricular education, events, activities Kingsley and Co, mentoring, training opportunities, placements, faith projects, residentials, holiday clubs and much more.
2. Be Change
To encourage children and young people to be agents of change in their community.
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Young people often feel powerless and not listened to with others making the decisions for their lives. We work to enable young people to not only be heard but be agents of the change they want to see through role modelling, volunteering and social action. We encourage them not to just tell others their hopes and dreams but to make them happen.
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How?
Volunteering, young volunteer programme, youth and children’s forums, social action projects, mentoring, peer mentoring, youth leadership, publishing their written work (poetry/stories/recipes) community art projects.
3. Champion Change
To enable our community, its families and institutions to make change and be changed.
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For young people to thrive they need to be nurtured, supported and given opportunities to grow, test new ideas, take responsibility and have a safe place to succeed and to fail. We seek to support young people by addressing the environment around them, creating opportunities, raising awareness, championing their voice at strategic levels, supporting families and engaging decision makers and influencers.
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How?
Family support work, community events and showcases, North Perk café, Community Garden, the Believe Awards, being part of a wide range of networks and forums championing young people, training community influencers, leaders and churches
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Our Values
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Ykids works to make change and be change. We have an holistic approach where children come first, are consulted and encouraged to help shape our delivery. We see young people for their potential and all that they can become, valuing their gifts and creativity whatever challenges they face.
1. Young People at the centre
They are always at the heart of what we do.
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2. Assets, not issues
Valuing everyone for what they bring and not the challenges they face.
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3. Invest
Committing for the long haul, to people, places and transformation.
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4. Partnership
Working with others and building friendships.
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5. Learning
Constantly seeking ways we can improve and make new discoveries.
6. Learning
Constantly seeking new ways we can improve and make new discoveries
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7. Vision
Dream big dreams.
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8. Excellence
To be the best we can be.
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9. Fun
Life is for living and enjoying.
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10. Faith
In yourself, in others, in God.
Our 8 Areas of Work
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Ykids works in 8 key areas to offer as many opportunities for children, young people and their families to engage with us and commit to them long term, measuring participation in years rather than weeks.
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Youth & Children
We offer multiple regular groups aimed at children 5 -17 yrs focused on wellbeing, mentoring, citizenship, belonging, skills development and fun. Includes one off events and activities, short and long term programmes.
Families
We offer support and promote family cohesion, through family projects, peer mentoring and training, 121 support and practical help such as court and hospital visits, food and crisis intervention.
Education
We work in primary and secondary schools to deliver assemblies, self-esteem programmes and extracurricular activities, building relationships, mentoring and offering curriculum enhancing projects eg: Bootle Children’s Literary Festival.
Enterprise
Ykids seeks to become a more self sustaining charity. We do this through Social Enterprise businesses. For 8 years, Ykids ran North Perk café, a social enterprise employing young people with barriers to work, and now runs Kingsley and Co, a bookshop experience promoting literacy.
Training
We offer apprenticeships, work placements, intern programmes, work experience, bespoke and accredited training opportunities.
Wellbeing
Addressing physical and emotional wellbeing through cooking, nutrition, sport, organic food growing in our community garden and early intervention CBT programmes.
Community
We usually host an annual community project once a year, in the past we’ve done fun days, street play, garden clear ups, mural painting and more. We deliver social action projects and largescale events involving multiple partners and the wider community e.g. the ‘Believe Awards’, the Bootle Games.
Faith
Ykids has a Christian ethos and therefore some of our work is with local (and some not so local) churches. Our Christian work is distinct from our community work and has different aims. We work in partnership with churches to deliver training, events and activities to promote effective outreach in deprived communities