Hello!!

Welcome to The @Morayyouthwork Team

We are 5 Senior Youth Workers and 4 Youth Workers spread across Moray.

You have taken the first steps to getting to know us, engaging with us, and possibly learning something new. We will do everything we can to support you through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tiktok. So join us for some banter, info and activities.

Gary Forres & Lossie Senior Youth Worker
Tracy Lossie Youth Worker
Amanda Milnes & Speyside Youth Worker
Lynne Buckie & Keith Senior Youth Worker
Wendy Senior Youth Worker Elgin
Elgin & Digital Youth Worker
Iona Buckie Youth Worker
Maria Speyside & Milnes Senior Youth Worker

 

Effective youth work helps young people to learn about themselves, others and society through non-formal educational activities which involve enjoyment, challenge and learning. We work with Young People aged 11 – 25.

Youth Scotland endorses the view that the purpose of  youth work is to achieve the following with young people:

  • Build their self-esteem and self-confidence.
  • Develop their ability to manage personal and social relationships.
  • Create learning opportunities and to develop new skills.
  • Encourage positive group atmospheres.
  • Build the capacity of young people to consider risk, make reasoned decisions and take control.
  •  Develop a ‘world view’ which widens horizons and invites social commitment.

Click on the Icons below to follow us…

Youth work: A message to young people as we transition out of lockdown

The Scottish Government has published a route-map to move the country out of lockdown. This plan will move through four phases, each dependant on certain conditions being met. At each stage there will be some gradual changes to the way you can move around outside your home and the services and support that you can access. This includes returning to school on 11 August, on a part-time basis. You will continue to access learning at home through school and youth work activities. This combination of ‘on campus’ and home learning will also be in place for colleges and universities.

Youth workers will be there for you as we transition out of lockdown. This includes making sure your voices are heard about what you need from youth work and how you need us to keep working together with schools, employers and other services.

You told us in #LockdownLowdown about the issues that concern you the most just now and that you need a range of adults, including youth workers, to help you.

Youth work will:

Help you stay connected, stay safe and stay healthy

  • Help you improve and manage your physical and mental wellbeing
  • Provide ways to connect with your friends and youth workers to form supportive, positive relationships
  • Do what we can to help you stay positive about the future
  • Be there for you if you are struggling

Help you to thrive and fulfil your potential

  • Help you make the transition back to ‘on campus’ learning at school
  • Provide opportunities to develop skills and qualities to live, learn and work
  • Offer opportunities to achieve and recognise your development
  • Provide opportunities and experiences for employability, with help and support for school leavers
  • Help you express your right to be heard and be part of decisions that affect you

How will you experience youth work?

Thousands of young people have been continuing to take part in youth work during lockdown. You have continued to learn, develop skills, have fun and work together to support those who are struggling. Youth workers across Scotland are hugely impressed by the way you have embraced these new ways of working together. The ongoing contact with you has been important for youth workers too, who miss seeing you in person. They are all working together to develop new ways of delivering what you need.

Over the coming months the way you experience youth work might change, as the Scottish Government allows for different services and ways of working to re-start.  We will follow Scottish Government guidance to make sure we all stay safe at each stage.  We are also listening to what has worked for you during lockdown.

We will keep using digital technology

  • and other ways to connect with you and provide activities and learning at home

We will keep supporting those who need direct contact in the community

  • You will still see youth workers in community hubs and in the community providing essential items and resources for those who are more affected than others by COVID-19
  • We will work closely with schools, social work and other services to identify those who need face to face contact from youth workers during the summer.
  • You may gradually start to see youth workers in the community while centres and clubs are still closed

When will youth clubs open their doors?

We are planning to have opportunities for most young people to have some physical contact with youth work when schools re-open to pupils. Your clubs and groups will look different – there will be physical distancing in place, you may have to meet in a smaller group and we might use more outdoor spaces. We will work closely with teachers to support you in school, or to create opportunities for youth work when you’re not in school.

When Scottish Government advises that it is safe to do so, we aim to re-open youth centres and buildings to all young people. You might still meet in smaller groups, spend time outdoors or meet with youth workers in other venues. This will ensure we can keep to any physical distancing and hygiene measures that are still in place.

More info

What youth work offers you: https://www.youthlinkscotland.org/policy/youth-work-outcomes/about-the-youth-work-outcomes/

Where can I find out about youth work opportunities in my area?  https://young.scot/search-results?q=youth+work

 

 

 

 

 

COVID-19 YouthLink Scotland

YOUTH WORK: SUPPORTING SCHOOLS IN THE RECOVERY PHASE

It has been an incredibly busy period for the youth work sector and it never fails to amaze me how resilient and adept at change youth workers are, notwithstanding the huge challenge presented by COVID-19 to the young people we support, and the sector itself. The significant challenge of securing sustainable funding for the sector is one that we continue to speak about in all our public affairs work, and on Monday with colleagues from the sector, we gave evidence to the Education and Skills Committee at the Scottish Parliament, based on the Youth Work Sector Leaders Report.

Keeping up with the pace of change and communicating is more important than ever. We have been producing weekly briefings and regularly updating the website, but I wanted to bring you up to speed on some key documents developed with the sector, which have been or are about to be published in the coming weeks:

Youth work: Supporting young people through and out of lockdown: A statement on behalf of the youth work sector in Scotland (copy attached and also available at https://www.youthlinkscotland.org/covid-19-guidance/)

Developed with the Youth Work COVID-19 Recovery Group, this document outlines the planned approach to the delivery of youth work with children and young people through and out of each phase of lockdown.

COVID-19 Education Recovery: Youth work – A Guide for Schools (copy attached and also available at https://www.youthlinkscotland.org/covid-19-guidance/

Developed with the Youth Work COVID-19 Recovery Group, this document explains how youth work can help schools to close the poverty related attainment gap and improve outcomes for all children and young people. This update provides additional information on opportunities to collaborate with youth work in the COVID-19 Recovery Phase. It is intended to support education authorities and school leaders, reflecting Scottish Government guidance on working with partners, to plan and deliver Curriculum for Excellence in the Recovery Phase, and ensure continuity of learning.

The DFM highlighted the role of the Youth Work Sector in his Statement to the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday on reopening schools. It’s also worth noting new guidance which references youth work from Public Health Scotland https://publichealthscotland.scot/news/joint-statement-on-the-reopening-of-schools-and-other-educational-settings/

Digital Youth Work Guidelines (currently available at https://www.youthlinkscotland.org/covid-19-guidance/)

Resources to help the youth work sector to incorporate digital considerations into practice; these include a safeguarding checklist for online youth work.

The Youth Work Message to Young People Video (See Tweet Below)

Developed with the Youth Work COVID-19 Recovery Group and in partnership with Youth Theatre Arts Scotland. This video provides a clear message to young people about the support they can expect to receive from the Youth Work sector at this time.

Outdoor Learning and Education Recovery (Click on the image to read the document)

Developed with the YouthLink Scotland Outdoor Learning Providers Network this document provides information on opportunities to collaborate with outdoor learning organisations in the COVID-19 recovery phase. It is intended to support local authorities and school leaders, reflecting Scottish Government guidance on working with partners, to plan and deliver Curriculum for Excellence in the Recovery Phase and ensure continuity of learning.

Detached Youth Work Guidelines (See Tweet Below)

These guidelines provide a structure for refreshing/revisiting detached and outreach Youth Work in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Outline Framework to support youth work delivery during easing of lockdown (Click on image below to read document)

Signposting youth workers to the relevant information and advice on planned delivery to ensure that appropriate public health measures are in place, the wellbeing of children, young people and practitioners is considered and ongoing risk assessment is carried out.

Re:Connect Summer Programme

Welcome P7’s

Milnes and Speyside Senior Youth Worker

Hi, I’m Maria McAllister Senior Youth Worker in Speyside and Milnes.

I’ve been a youth worker for 14 years, 3 years as a volunteer and 11 years with the Youth Engagement Team working in different areas throughout Moray.

I started my working life as a Nanny in London moving to Elgin 31 years ago. Here I studied Tourism and worked in hotels in Elgin and Inverness as well as many years at Johnstons of Elgin. I enjoyed tourism, meeting people from all over the world but as I took on a more training role I realised I enjoyed the training, helping and mentoring, especially young people.

 I have a daughter and two step-children, all of them adults now as well as two wonderful grandchildren. My spare time is spent with the grandchildren, we enjoy baking cakes together, visiting different parks around Moray and running around until grandma (me) can’t keep up any more!!!

Come find me if you need information, advice or fancy a good chat,

Look forward to meeting you all

 

Email: Maria.Mcallister@moray.gov.uk

Well Done Kerry Niven-Gordon!

Well done to Kerry Niven-Gordon from Forres, Kerry an S6 pupil at Forres academy has achieved a 200 hours Saltire certificate for her volunteering contributions across Forres, Kerry has been giving up her spare time to support The Chest, Heart and Stroke Charity shop, The Lossiemouth Baptist Church holiday club and Girl Guiding Moray as a young Leader. Kerry is also a member of Moray Youth Matters and the Pea’s in a pod, podcasting team which are part of the Youth Voice programme supported by Moray Councils Youth Work Team

 

 

 

 

A parents guide to being social online

Whether trying out new games, sharing family pics or live streaming lunch, this December we will probably be spending more time online playing and socialising. Here’s our guide on how you can support your child to be safer online.

Here is a link to Think U Know resource page with tips to keep you safe online

https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/articles/parents-guide-being-social-online/

OR

Check out the home activity packs as a way to start conversations as a family

https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/Support-tools/home-activity-worksheets/

 

You can also visit the Inclusive Digital Safety Advice Hub watch the video for more details.

 

 

Who cares? Scotland

Click on the image above to visit the Who Cares? Scotland website

The Who Cares? Scotland Helpline is a lifelong offer open to Care Experienced people of any age across Scotland. Following on from the positive feedback on our Covid-19 Helpline throughout the first few months of the Coronavirus crisis, it is evident that a dedicated phone line is a valued source of connection for our community.

Instawalks

Instawalks turn photography into a collective shared activity. A group of people meeting to explore a place or route together.

Instawalks will have a different theme for each route. The young people will be asked to take snapshots along the walk and post with a specific #Hashtag.

Photos of individuals will be shared with their permission only.

Elgin Academy will have groups walking every Monday and Thursday.

You can book onto an Instawalk using the QR code on our program OR using this link. 

You can follow @morayyouthwork on Instagram here

 Elgin Academy

Week 1

5th & 8th Oct – #Quarrelwood #Nicewalk

26th & 29th Oct

 

2nd & 5th Nov

9th & 12th Nov

The walk on the 12th was a visit to The Warehouse to test and give thoughts on using Youth Work in a VR setting via Altspace. See the Moraywide VR Project for more information.

19th Nov

23rd & 26th Nov

30th Nov & 3rd Dec

 

7th & 10th Dec

 

Miles Achieved

 

Celebration Week!!

Feedback & Evaluation

 

 

 

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