Activities, fun, friendship and work-related experiences for young people with additional needs aged between 14 and 25 in Monmouthshire
News
Covid-19 Update, June 2020
Building Bridges Saving Scheme!
In January 2017 we started a saving scheme for the young people on the project. This can then be used to pay for more costly activities such as camping and water sports that come up in the summer. You will be able to pay into this at our regular youth groups or the main office and will be given a receipt for the money you have put in. It can be anything from £2 a week depending on your budgets but it all adds up!! We are hoping this will help you with budgeting for activities through the year.
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January 2020
Fundraising and Donations
We had a very successful end of 2019 regarding our fundraising and donations. Friends of Building Bridges organised a sponsored bike ride and the members that took part raised a huge £850! We recieved a very generous donation of £300 from Tesco Garage in Chepstow, this money is being used to run taster sessions at Caerwent Youth Club! Check out our calendar for more details. We had further donations of £425 for an anonymous donor and £169.08 from Wye Valley Practice as their charity of the year. A charity bake sale in September raised £90 for Building Bridges!
That's a massive £1744.08 raised so that Building Bridges can continue to organise and subsidise activities for young people in Monmouthshire! Our Friends of Building Bridges group will be meeting on Friday 31st January at 2pm if you are interested in help raise much needed funds!
Thanks, The Building Bridges Team
October 2019
Building Bridges at Bridges Centre are looking for:
- A Facilitator for our People First Project – 2.5 days per week
- Youth club Sessional Workers
For full details please see www.bridgescentre.org.uk/opportunities/
October 2019
We are now accepting referrals!
If you would like to refer please download the form below and send it to; enquires@bridgesmonmouth.org.uk . Depending on the demand in your area there may be a short waiting list. .
Download a copy of our referral form
June 2019
Quest Busters Project Coordinator
An exciting opportunity has arisen to work with young people aged 8-14 years with additional needs as part of a Lottery funded project in Monmouthshire. The role of Project Coordinator will involve supporting the social and leisure time of the young people and increasing their friendship networks. The role involves liaising and consulting with the families of these young people to ensure collaborative and successful outcomes for their children. Candidates should demonstrate an excellent track record of working in partnership with families and volunteer groups.
This is a full-time post on a 2-year fixed term contract and job shares would be considered.
For full details please see www.bridgescentre.org.uk/opportunities
Cydlynydd Prosiect Quest Busters
Mae cyfle cyffrous wedi codi i weithio gyda phobl ifanc 8-14 oed gydag anghenion ychwanegol fel rhan o brosiect yn Sir Fynwy a gyllidir gan y Loteri. Bydd swydd y Cydlynydd Prosiect yn cynnwys cefnogi amser cymdeithasol a hamdden y bobl ifanc a chynyddu eu rhwydweithiau cyfeillgarwch. Mae'r swydd yn golygu cydlynu ac ymgynghori gyda theuluoedd y bobl ifanc hyn i sicrhau canlyniadau ar y cyd a llwyddiannus ar gyfer eu plant. Dylai ymgeiswyr fod â hanes rhagorol o lwyddiant o weithio mewn partneriaeth gyda theuluoedd a grwpiau gwirfoddol.
Mae hon yn swydd lawn-amser ar gontract cyfnod sefydlog 2 flynedd ac ystyrir trefniadau rhannu swydd.
I gael manylion lleol ewch i www.bridgescentre.org.uk/opportunities
July 2018
"Paid dal yn ôl" – Pobl ifanc sydd ag anableddau dysgu yn tyfu'n oedolion. / "Don't hold back" – Transitions to adulthood for young people with learning disabilities.
Young people from the Building Bridges Project have been working with Carp Collaborations to contribute to research comissioned by The Children's Commissioner for Wales into how young people who need support are helped as they become adults.
May 2018
Public Service Board sets out its plan to improve well-being in Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire’s Public Service Board has published its well-being plan which sets out how it will improve well-being in the county – both now and in the future.
The Public Service Board (PSB) is a collaboration of public and voluntary sector services in Monmouthshire which has worked to develop the plan, setting a clear purpose of building sustainable and resilient communities. Informed by data, research and what the people of Monmouthshire said was important, the plan sets four objectives and the Public Service Board will work collectively on these to improve economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being. The four objectives are:
- Providing children and young people with the best possible start in life.
- Responding to the challenges associated with demographic change.
- Protecting and enhancing the resilience of our natural environment while mitigating and adapting to the impact of climate change.
- Developing opportunities for communities and businesses to be part of an economically thriving and well-connected county.
Find out more at: www.monmouthshire.gov.uk/our-monmouthshire
April 2018
Building Bridges is now supporting Monmouthshire People First
We're delighted to be supporting Monmouthshire People First, a member-led, self-advocacy group who help people with learning disabilities, across the county, get their voices heard.
Find out more at: monmouthshire-people-first.org.uk
March 2018
Project and funding update
Whilst we may have been unsuccessful in our independent bid to the Lottery for funding, the team have working hard on alternative sources of funding and we are delighted to announce that we have been successful in our request to Health and Social Services for some of the ICF Funding made available by the Welsh Government to support the Health and Wellbeing Act. This award should mean that we will be able to keep the project running until at least Christmas 2018.
In addition to the above, in the south, we have secured £1750 for Top Stop Coffee Shop from Pitch My Project (with thanks to MHA); and in Monmouth we have receive a donation from the Monmouth Charities for Chill Out plus with various other smaller donations and grants.
But we are not stopping there! Other grants are available, and we are working with our friends at MAGIC to put together a joint bid to the Lottery. Something we have to do for that is to ask everyone ‘what sort of service would you like in the future? – so we need you to fill in a survey.
January 2018
Thank you...
Thank you to Waitrose Monmouth for their contribution of £309 to our project, to the Monmouth Charity who have donated £500 to our Chillout group in Monmouth and to Caldicot Town Team for their donation of £473 to our youth club in Caerwent. We also raised an amazing £860 on the Christmas Raffle!
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October/November 2017
News update
On 8th November staff from Building Bridges made a presentation to a group of professionals attending the strength-based practice study group, telling them all about the project and the models of good practice we have developed.
A busy, fun half-term has just finished with young people participating in zombie workshops, geocaching, trampolining, a big night out spooky-style and a trip to the cinema.
The young people working with DRILL have been hard at work over the last few month and in the next month or so will be finishing off their research and collating their findings.
We are expecting to hear from the Lottery in early December if our bid for a new project has been successful – we will keep you updated.
Rio has been working with D of E and the Gwent Police commissioner proceeds from Crime Fund, and we have recently received £900 to buy equipment and prepare young people on the project working towards their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh award.
We have also secured some respite money from Monmouthshire and are work together with MAGIC to put together a variety of events and activities. MAGIC have already had an evening session to themselves at Techniquest – the respite money enabled Building Bridges to provide 3 members of staff to assist parents and their children in having a fun and save evening.
Congratulations to all those young people on the project who have either past their driving tests or their driving theory in the past few months.
Plans for Christmas are in full swing – check out the calendar page.
October 2017
Thank you to our dedicated fundraisers
To Tracey Millet for organising a Bingo event at the Labour Club in Abergavenny on 6th October which raised £260!
To Ruth Roath who ran two yoga sessions in Catbrook on behalf of our Project which raised £225.
To Wyesham Community Project who raised £200.
August 2017
Check out our YouTube channel
We've just launched a YouTube channel featuring videos in which some of the young people who have engaged with the Building Bridges Project tell their stories in their own words.
View our videos
July 2017
£500 donation received
We'd like to say a big 'thank you' to the Beaufort Coaching Inn and Brasserie, Raglan for their fantastic donation of £500.
June 2017
Our 'Big Event' and Impact Report
The Building Bridges’ big evaluation and celebration event took place at the Bridges Centre in Monmouth on 28th June and we'd like to thank everyone who involved in making it so special; particularly the young people told their stories through dance, poetry, drama and video. We'd also like to thank the Children’s Commissioner for Wales, our evaluators CARP Collaborations and the parents who spoke about the project's impact on young people in Monmouthshire.
May 2017
Our Big Event
On June 28th we are holding a Big Event to celebrate the project! The young people (and staff!) will be working hard over the next month to get ready. If you feel like you can help please let us know!
May 2017
DRILL - Young people and friendships – what matters to us?
This research project will explore with young disabled people aged 14 – 25 how patterns of friendship change also, what helps and hinders friendships to form and be maintained. How are friendships linked to participation within community activities? Are young disabled people at risk of social isolation – what contributes to isolation and what can relieve it? More info at drilluk.org.uk
There are lots more of our stories in our Newsletter back-issues which you can download from the links below:
