Street-based Youth Work in action

The Youth First Street-Based team first met a young person (YP) playing basketball outside of Riverside Youth Centre in Deptford. During this first interaction, the YP shared that he attends a basketball club and is currently in college studying sports. He had never attended any youth provision by Youth First.

The team’s Senior Youth Worker (SYW) asked the YP how they had found studying from home during lockdown. The YP responded that he was “kind of keeping up with his school work.” The SYW continued by asking what he’d been finding difficult. The YP went on to share that there were a lot of distractions in the home - which made it difficult to focus and drew his attention away from studying. 

The SYW asked if it would help if Riverside was open during the day to provide a space to log on and focus on their studies with minimal distraction. The YP said that it could possibly be of help.

The SYW explained more about the closest, most local club - Riverside Youth Centre and explained that she would speak with Eugene, the centre’s SYW to enquire about the possibility of setting up study support sessions.

The street-based team saw the YP again the following week, in the same location. While catching-up with him, the YP shared that it was still tough to study and said it was particularly difficult as his sessions were online in the morning. He found that if he joins lessons then, he goes straight back to sleep. Asking whether it was any better the team learnt that he also had “a lot of work to do” and the YP gave permission to be referred to Euguene at Riverside Youth Centre for group or 1-2-1 support.

Following, the street-based team were made aware that the YP was engaging and utilising the offer of study-support sessions at the youth club in Deptford.