Solent Youth Action are looking for enthusiastic, patient and understanding individuals who are interested in volunteering at one or more of our youth programmes.

We currently have a variety of groups and clubs for young people, including supported youth clubs for young people with additional needs, open access groups and community buddy schemes. Volunteers are needed to engage with young people and encourage them to take part in a variety of exciting opportunities.

We currently require volunteers for;

• Tuesday’s 6-9pm at SLAMS supported youth Club at The Hilt, Chandlers Ford
• Wednesday’s 6-9pm Open Access Youth Club for 13-19 year olds at The Hilt, Chandlers Ford
• Saturday’s 11am-1pm at J’s Supported Youth Group at The Hilt, Chandlers Ford

You are invited to a special red carpet screening of Beyond the Brickworks Films.

15th of November 2011, 7.30pm

at The Berry Theatre, Hedge End.

There will be a special presentation of awards and copies of the films to all the participants involved in the project.

Admission is free and a bar will be open for refreshments.

Fun was had by all at the Summer Programme that took place at The Hilt this summer!

The young people with additional support needs who came along took part in a variety of activities from arts and crafts and photography, to curry cooking and cake baking.

The Summer Programme ended on a high at Paultons Park, where everyone showed their bravery on the Cobra!

Last night marked the start of another fun term at SLAMS youth club.

The young people spent some time designing their own programme of events which includes everything from Stuffed Toy making to Film night, to Smoothie making and a Halloween Party!

The sessions also include pool, table football, Nintendo Wii and guitar hero so there’s something for everyone.

The summer programme is a fun activity filled scheme running throughout the summer.

The programme is for 13-19 year olds with additional support needs. The programme will take at Hiltingbury Community Centre and other venues throughout the summer.

Young people can participate in arts & craft, sports, music, excursions and lots more. Young people will be encouraged to suggest activities they would like to be involved in throughout the summer programme.

Solent Youth Action is piloting a Community Buddies Scheme throughout the summer. Offering children and young people aged 7-19 with additional support needs an opportunity to be supported by a fully trained "buddy" giving the young person one to one support and encouragement to take part in activities that they are interested in; this can be anything from going to the cinema, shopping or attending a youth club.

In-clued Volunteers enjoyed the sunshine and braved the showers this month with the Eastleigh Countryside Volunteers by the Old Mansbridge Reservoir.

Volunteers were tasked with removing Ragwort, a plant that can be very poisonous to cattle, horses, wild animals and even potentially humans.

Armed with forks, spades and gloves, volunteers worked tirelessly in the sunshine to clear the fields of the plant before it begins to flower.

Each plant can produce up to 150,000 seeds, so whilst we may have cleared the field of well over 100 plants, had we left them they could have produced millions (eek).

With all of the sunshine and rain we've been having, the strawberries and weeds on Solent Youth Action's allotment have been having a field day (excuse the pun).

Thankfully, in-clued volunteers were more than happy to help to weed the potato plots and force themselves to pick the strawberries, most of which seemed to magically disappear…hmmm.

When it comes to the harvest season, the food grown at the allotment will be donated to local causes including homeless shelters, food banks and residential homes for the elderly.

In the meantime, volunteers will continue to keep on top of the weeds and will pick any food that is ready to eat.

Big thanks to Ermis, Liam (who I suspect has turned into a strawberry after the amount he had), Lisa and Christina, who is well and truly "strawberried out"!