Bringing you the ‘sun’ rays of YoUFA news...

Issue 6 - Summer 2012

This issue will also have quotes from UFA members, which gives you a great chance to read firsthand the benefits of UFA and discover how you can contribute in the future.

The YoUFA news team wants to hear from you! So if you would like to share some of the amazing work that has been taking place where you are then please get in touch!

The YoUFA network is about young people, so pass on the word about the network and help it to grow and get bigger. Together we can empower other young people with skills to lead activity and take ownership of their learning.

If you want to find out more about YoUFA, be part of the network or you just want to say Hello then check out our ‘SHOUT about it!’ section for all the different ways you can get in touch with us and have a chat.

Enjoy the issue,

Leadh :-)

Hello from the New Youth Ambassador!Welcome to the summer issue of YoUFA news. All those at UFA and YoUFA have given me a warm welcome, shame I can’t say the same about the British summer weather! I have enjoyed getting stuck into all the UFA events that have been going on.

Amongst all the Olympic events the main event in UFA’s eyes has been the summer NCS programme for young people, so keep reading to find out about the ‘One amazing Summer’ young people in Kirklees, Durham and Northampton were part of.

We will also let you know the good news from young people who were part of the Arts Council Leading Lights project! And of course we can’t forget to mention about the YoUFA Board.

Inside this issue...

‘The YoUFA board is into its 4th year with the 10th meeting soon to commence on Saturday 8th September.(continues on page 3)

YoUFA Board

‘A million times over worth doing...’ said one NCS participant.(continues on page 2)

One Amazing Summer

‘All the great work these young people have done has paid off as they have successfully managed to gain their Silver Arts Award...’(continues on page 3)

Leading Lights

Jazz’d Up!Young people held a performance alongside professional musicians for all their friends and family.(continues on page 4 )

NEWS

Here are some quotes from young people who took part in NCS:

“A million times over worth doing”

“I now know myself in a way I never thought I would”

“Everyone’s support-ing one another”

(Kirklees & Northampton NCS Graduates)

If you’re in Year 12 or 16-17 years old and have missed

your chance to be part of this amazing programme

then don’t fret!

There is another opportunity to take part in NCS in the autumn half

term. If you live or know anyone who lives in Wak-field, Bedfordshire, Kirklees or Northamptonshire. If it sounds like something you would like to be part of don’t hesitate to email lwoolley@ufa.org.uk, call 0121 212 9838 orhead over to then UFA-NCS Autumn Facebook page for more details on the NCS programme.

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The talk of the town this summer has defiantly been the National Citizen Service (NCS) programme. NCS is a government based programme designed for young people to learn about themselves, build on skills that may help them with their future careers and

become positive role models for other young

people.

They also had the chance to change or make a differ-ence in their communities

by delivering a social action project. The programme

took place during the sum-mer, which included 3 jam packed weeks of activity with young people also hav-ing to complete a 30 hour social action project using their new found skills.

The first week ‘Feel The Fear & Do It Anyway’ was a residential with young peo-ple taking part in physically challenging activities which pushed them out of their comfort zones.

The activities included a giant zip wire, camp fires and many high rope challenges.

The second week ‘People with Passions & Hero’s from Home’ was a local residential in their home community of either Kirklees, Durham or North-

amptonshire. The week focused on developing their

new skills, working as a team and discovering new

ways to make a difference in their community.

The third week ‘Big Plans’ involved the young people

designing their social action project and deciding how they could change their community. This included projects such as: The big riv-er clean up, a coffee morning and setting up a summer gala.

The Summer NCS pro-gramme is seen as a journey that the young people are all going on. UFA had the pleasure of watching these young people make life changing steps on their incredible journeys. Seeing how much enthusiasm and eagerness to learn put a huge smile on everyone’s faces.

Scan me to sign up!

Remember the leading lights project from last YoUFA news? Just in case you have forgotten 15 creative young leaders from

Buzz Youth Theatre and Coseley Youth Centre

in Dudley planned 4 new UFA Lead Learner

clubs that were launched earlier in the

year. The leading lights projects were aimed at

enabling young people to achieve the national qualification The Arts

Award. These clubs were

planned and managed by young people for young people. The clubs involved taking part in arts activities and sharing their creative approach with others. All the great work these young people have done has paid off as they have successfully gained their Silver Arts Award and helped other young people in their clubs to achieve a Bronze Arts Award. Great work from great young people!

Leading Lights: The YoUFA board continues to focus on young people’s voice, leadership and influence in the continuing development of YoUFA.

YoUFA board members attend regular meetings to discuss important questions and ideas for the YoUFA network. As part of the YoUFA board, members contribute ideas, plan fundraising strategies, develop and launch publications, steer the direction of UFA and advise on young people’s resources.

The YoUFA board is into its 4th year with the 10th meeting soon to commence on Saturday 8th September.

As the new Youth Ambassador I am very excited to meet all the current board

members and fill them in on all the new ideas and opportunities that will be in store for

them.

If the YoUFA Board sounds like something you would like to be part of then you’re in luck as

we are looking to recruit some new members!To download an application form, log onto

www.youfa.co.uk

Being part of the YoUFA board will involve you working alongside other board members to make decisions about the direction of UFA and

the work they do! YoUFA is about you so it is important to have YOUR input and YOUR say!

If you like the sound of being part of the YoUFA board and are interested then please check out the ‘Shout About It’ section and contact us!To see the latest agenda visit

www.youfa.co.uk/youfa-board

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UFASt.Paul’s Cottages 59/60 Water Street The Jewellery Quarter Birmingham B3 1EP

0121 212 9838 info@ufa.org.uk www.ufa.org.uk

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Fancy becoming a YoUFA co-ordinator or a regional ambassador within your school or organisation?

‘Grow it’ is just for you!

Take a look on our website and see how a £100 donation from your school or organisation could equip you with the skills you need to be part of this amazing project.

You can fundraise, be the voice of your local school and also increase young people’s leader-ship in your community.

Not only will you get the chance to be the

voice, but you are re-sponsible for making

decisions that will affect you, your community

and your school/college.

UFA have been running Summer Challenges in Birmingham for over 10 years, and this year was no exception. UFA, alongside THSH (Town Hall & Symphony Hall) had the pleasure of running another amazing week of musical magic; each year the Summer Challenge has a certain theme with this year’s theme being Jazz.

The week long programme was for young people aged 10-14. During the week professional musicians from the Symphony Hall

held workshops aimed to develop young people’s instrumental, performance, composition and teamwork skills. It also gave young people a great chance to socialise with other young people from

different backgrounds and communities.

The young people had a chance to try out many different elements of Jazz music including being part of the Jazz band, improvisation and singing in a Jazz style. After the first few days settling in to their

new found skills the young people soon began to realise their own potential and develop a great interest for Jazz music.

At the end of the week the young people held a performance alongside professional musicians for all their friends and

family, this was a great chance for them to show off the new Jazz skills they had learnt. All the young people embraced the Jazz ele-

ments and put on a great performance. It was clear to everyone in the audience how well the young people had

broadened their music knowledge. It was also great to see how much they had grown in confidence to perform in front of

a large public audience.

Have something to say then we want to hear it! There are many ways you can get in touch!

Facebook - Search UFA- YoUFA Twitter - @UFAorg OR @ufaLeadhEmail - lwoolley@ufa.org.ukText/Phone - 07980673574YouTube - Search ‘Super YoUFA’Postal Address -See below

SHOUT about it!: Share YoUFA and UFA with someone new each week!

Jazz’d up Summer: Birmingham Summer Challenge

hits the high notes!

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UFA - YoUFA

@UFAorg@ufaLeadh