USDT Youth Team

The USDT Youth Team was created in November 2011 as a result of the amalgamation of the ‘Training for Life’ and the ‘Intervention’ projects. The project works with young people aged 11 to 25 from the Upper Springfield area who experience marginalisation, who don’t avail of mainstream youth service provision or those with specific targeted social, health, educational and training needs. The project employs a ‘needs’ led and outcome driven community youth work approach, which affirms the voluntary, emancipatory and democratic nature of the relationship between youth worker and young person. The USDT youth team believes that effective work with children and young people can only be achieved with their full and active participation and the full realisation of their rights.

The ‘Youth Team’ works for the social inclusion of marginalised young people from the Upper Springfield area by supporting and enhancing their rights, participation, education, health and well-being.

1. Inclusion:
   To enhance the social inclusion of young people who experience marginalisation and who may not avail of mainstream youth service provision.
2. Participation:
   To enhance young people’s active participation in the issues, services and decisions that affects their lives.
3. Learning & Aspirations:
   To provide opportunities for young people which raise their aspirations, confidence, self esteem and their ability to learn and grow.
4. Health & Well Being:
   To provide community and youth work based programmes which improve the safety, health and well-being of young people.
5. Volunteering & Leadership:
   To support young people from the Upper Springfield area to develop leadership qualities and skills by providing training and community volunteering opportunities.
6. Targeting ‘Needs’:
   To provide evidenced based youth work interventions which support targeted groups of young people ‘in need’ or involved in ‘risk taking’ behaviour.
7. Advocacy:
   To advocate and campaign with and on behalf of young people to ensure that services, interventions, legislation and policies recognise the rights of children and young people and improves their life chances.
8. Championing & Celebrating:
   To champion young people from the Upper Springfield area and celebrate their achievements and success.
9. Community Solidarity:
   To work with community providers, local residents and young people to organise events and initiatives which enhance community spirit and solidarity.
10.  Integrated Services:
    To work in partnership with community and statutory providers to strategically and effectively integrate services for children and young people from the Upper Springfield area.
11. Monitoring & Evaluation:
    To develop an evidenced based model of professional Community Youth Work practise which is monitored and evaluated in line with current standards of best practice.

• Community Youth Groups
• Outreach Detached Service at the weekends
• Youth Arts Projects
• Health & Well Being programmes for young people
• Personal development and life skills programmes for young people
• Volunteer leadership programme and volunteer opportunities
• 1 to 1 Youth Mentoring support
• Overnight Residential programmes
• Sports, recreational and outdoor activity programmes

• E-mail Address: niall@usdt.co.uk
• TEL no: 90236677