Holiday Club

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Is it November already? This month has flown by! It’s been a busy month and we have lots coming up in the run up to the Christmas break…

One million children experienced destitution in 2022

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation published their latest report on Destitution in the UK. It makes for sobering reading. A million children experienced destitution in 2022, around three times higher than in 2017. What kind of future is this promising our young people if they believe that those in power don’t care enough about them to keep them warm, dry and fed today? They have produced an interactive map of destitution. Local to us, Brighton & Hove has a high destitution rank of four (five is highest). 

We support JRF’s recommendations of “a bold and ambitious programme of action to address destitution and its corrosive impacts” and their call for the government to increase financial support to “ensure everyone has a protected minimum amount of support”. 

Get out in nature for free!

🌿 We spotted the news that the RSPB is opening up its reserves free to 16-24-year-olds from 6 November in order to encourage more young people to connect with nature. We love this – we’ve long advocated for young people to get outside for their mental health. 

Raising Teens explores mental health issues affecting young people

We’ve just finished recording our fifth series of Raising Teens. It’ll be broadcast on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Sussex and Surrey in the new year. It’s another fascinating series covering access to mental health services, trauma, eating disorders, the transition from teen to adult, mental health and neurodiversity, and support in schools. In each episode, presenter Clare Cowan hosts a panel of experts listening to young people talking about their experiences. It’s packed with insights, advice and information about where to get support. We’d like to add a huge thank you to all the professionals and young people who gave their time, along with the brilliant team at BBC Radio Sussex and Surrey. And to the team at NHS Sussex for supporting it. We can’t wait for you to hear it!

If you missed any of our previous Raising Teens series, you can find all the links here.  

Our Daisy at the Brighton Summit

Daisy was invited to be MC at this year’s Brighton Summit. I was a very proud sister, seeing her up on stage entertaining the audience and keeping the show on the road. Daisy has written a blog post about her experience, so treat yourself to her round up here. It was an amazing event and as always a great place to make new connections. We’ll be back next year – as will Daisy as MC!

Coming up…

The Catalyst programme is running new creative workshops in November and January. If your young person fancies making a punk protest banner, step this way! The Catalyst gives young people the opportunity to work with creative artists and sign up for a mentor who will offer career and wellbeing support and advice. We’ve had some amazing feedback from previous participants describing how they feel more confident and have made new friends after attending Catalyst workshops.

We’re running a Christmas Holiday Club in December with the amazing folk at Dragon Drama and the South Downs National Park. The club is for young people in receipt of free school meals – and is free. All the details and link to sign up are here. 

Au revoir Lola!

Our big news is that our amazing Lola Ray is leaving us in November (that’s Lola at the top of the page) and heading to Australia. Among Lola’s many roles at Make (Good) Trouble, are young reporter for our BBC radio show, Raising Teens, and Most Significant Change story collector for The Catalyst project. We’re excited to see how she gets on in her next adventure. Lola will always be one of our Trouble-Makers, and we hope that she’ll be able to work remotely for us on new projects. Our aim at Make (Good) Trouble has always been to provide a springboard for young people to jump into their future armed with new skills and resilience. Good luck Lola!

That’s all for this issue. If you have any suggestions or news you think we should include in next month’s round up, please comment below or get in touch. 

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Where did the summer go? This week, we’re out in our wet weather gear in the beautiful South Downs National Park for our summer holiday club. That’s a soggy Team MGT in the above pic on day 1. Over the next couple of days we’ll be exploring the countryside and paddle-boarding so keep an eye on our socials to see what else we get up to! 

BBC Raising Teens to look into access to services

As part of our research for the new series of BBC Raising Teens (coming later this autumn!) we’ve been looking into the issues young people have in accessing services and support around mental health and neurodiversity.
 
Waits of up to seven years have been reported in some parts of the UK for those wanting assessments for Autism and ADHD. And it can be complex if frustrated parents opt for a private assessment, as this letter to the Guardian shows:
“We reluctantly sought a private diagnosis, at considerable cost, and our child is now medicated, with improved behaviour. But we have now encountered another problem: our request for a shared care agreement with our GP – where the GP assumes responsibility for prescribing – has been refused. We are told that it is the policy of our GP consortium never to enter into shared care arrangements when diagnosis was initiated in the private healthcare sector.”
 
We’d love to hear from you if you have an experience to share. We’ll be asking experts for their tips and insights on the programme, so if you have a question or story, find out how to get involved here.

We’ll be looking into the following topics over the series:

  • Mental health and wellbeing services – how young people get access to help and support and what are the issues they’ve encountered along the way?
  • Trauma and complex needs – how can we better understand young people who have experienced trauma or who have complex needs? 
  • Eating disorders – what can we do to help those who need help?
  • From teenager to adulthood – the challenges of having a teenage brain! This episode will cover drugs, alcohol, sexuality and sexual health.
  • ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) – what’s it like at school for young people with ADHD and ASD? What support is out there and how easy is it to access?
  • Support at school and social prescribing – what is your experience of mental health support in school? Social prescribing is increasingly being offered to young people who have mental health challenges. How does it work and what difference does it make?

#NoStoppingMe

Our friends at charity Sound Waves Foundation (SWF) are running a brilliant campaign called #NoStoppingMe, which aims to “dispel the myths and break stereotypes surrounding disability and in particular deafness”.

Their wonderful video features keen 11-year-old surfer Elyana who is profoundly deaf, talking about why she’s deaf and proud. Do give SWF a follow on their socials!

 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

A post shared by Celebrating Deafability (@sound_waves_foundation)

⚽️ World Cup fever

It’s a year today since the Lionesses won the Euros (I was at Wembley for that unforgettable match) and we’d just finished a fabulous project, Goal Power, working with artist Lindsey Smith and Brighton Museum. We created a series of podcasts, co-produced with a group of footballing girls who discussed their experiences and hopes for the future. They also got the chance to interview some legends and professionals of the women’s game. Their conversations were both enlightening and inspiring and I thought, with all the excitement around the World Cup, it would be a great time to re-share their wonderful podcasts which show just how far the women’s game has come in the past few decades – and how far it still has to go. Enjoy!

We hope you enjoy Make (Good) News

If you have any suggestions or news you think we should cover next month, send us a line! 

The Make (Good) Trouble team x

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Hello! Summer is just around the corner, and we have an exciting opportunity for 11–16-year-olds to join Make (Good) Trouble’s 3-day summer holiday club, where you can explore the great outdoors in the beautiful South Downs National Park.

😎🌳💦 Book now!

Let’s dive right into the details…

For two days we’ll be venturing into the South Downs National Park. Attendees will have the chance to explore the nature on our doorstep under the guidance of qualified woodland rangers from the Park. We’ll learn about the local flora and fauna, engage in nature-based activities, and immerse ourselves in the beauty of our surroundings.

On day 3, we’ll switch gears and head out onto the water for a paddle boarding session. The fantastic, qualified instructors at Buzz Active will be there to guide us through the experience which is always fun.

We’ll be providing picnic lunches plus cameras and audio equipment, so our adventurers can capture their experiences in images and soundscapes. Their images and audio may be shared and celebrated on our social media platforms and website, allowing you to showcase your talents to a wider audience.

When, where and how to book:
31 July 31 – 2 Aug 2023
South Downs National Park
For full details and booking click here

Here’s a quick rundown of the dates and activities:

31 July, 11am-3pm – Hillwalking exploration day: This is a perfect opportunity to delve deeper into the wonders of the Seven Sisters Country Park. We’ll engage in nature-based activities, enjoy breathtaking views, and have a picnic to recharge our energy.

1 August, 11am-3pm – Grassland management and a picnic: We’ll learn about the importance of grassland management and how it contributes to our ecosystem and a picnic lunch.

2 August, 10am-2pm – Paddle Boarding with Buzz Active: The highlight of our adventure will be a paddle boarding session. Children will develop their balance and coordination while having a blast on the water.

Our summer holiday club is part of East Sussex County Council’s Holiday Activity and Food Programme, which means that places are free to children in receipt of free school meals. We believe that every child should have access to exciting and enriching experiences, and we’re looking forward to seeing new and familiar faces this summer.

Make (Good) Trouble’s 3-day summer holiday club promises to be an unforgettable experience. Participants will not only have a fantastic time exploring the great outdoors but also have the chance to unleash their creativity through photography and sound recording.

To secure your child’s place or for more information, visit our page on the EEQU website. You can also browse other holiday clubs in East Sussex on the website.

⭐️ Find out more about our partners, South Downs National Park and Buzz Active.

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Imagine new worlds by connecting with nature

Make (Good) Trouble is to run Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) clubs in 2023, starting with our Forest, Drama and Conservation Workshops this Easter. We’ll be outdoors exploring nature…

Our workshops are between 3-6 April 2023.

👉 Find out more and APPLY NOW!

Workshop at Friston Forest
11am-3pm, 3-4 April 2023

Join us for two-days in Friston Forest. Together we will explore the theme of forests and the history of the forest using art, acting, music, movement, storytelling, group games, and den building. There will be a focus on improvisation, team building, creativity and having no fear of failure. Led by a qualified children’s drama therapy coach from Dragon Drama.

Conservation activities and exploration of the Seven Sisters Country Park
11am-3pm, 5-6 April 2023

We’re again partnering with South Downs National Park to offer 2 days of conservation activities and exploration in the Park. Young people will be invited to explore nature on our doorstep guided by a qualified woodland ranger. We will cook and eat outside together using Make (Good) Trouble’s mobile outdoor kitchen and BBQ setup.

Holiday club attendees can use our cameras and audio equipment to document their adventures. They can create short films, images and soundscapes of their experiences. These will be shared and celebrated through our social media and on our website.

Our team

Make (Good) Trouble is the workshop organiser. Our work is centred around young people’s emotional wellbeing. We actively encourage teens to think differently, to understand that they have the capacity to redesign their thinking processes and challenge and change attitudes.

Amanda Elmes is the Learning, Outreach and Volunteering Strategy Lead at South Downs National Park Authority.

Rossy Georgeson is Artistic Director at Dragon Drama.

Apply today!

Club places are free for young people in East Sussex, aged 11-16 and in receipt of benefits-related free school meals. You can apply here!

East Sussex County Council have a host of holiday clubs across the county. You can find a list of all of them here.

Read more about Make (Good) Trouble’s Holiday Activities and Food programmes