Young People's Service
All of our activities offer a place where the children and young people can work through their worries, develop new friendships, and have a social activity where they can feel relaxed in being themselves. Staff and volunteer youth workers can support referred children and young people in school, at our youth groups and during school holidays. Our referrals forms can be accessed below. We offer new experiences such as ultimate Frisbee, Cheerleading, climbing wall, cooking, team and board games.
We offer Youth Groups, Holiday Activities and can work in Schools with children who are referred to our services.
Article - 2 No child should be treated unfairly on any basis
Article 12 - Children should be recognised as responsible and their views taken into account
Article 23 - Children with particular needs should receive the right support to be active
Article 31 - Every child has a right to rest, leisure, play & recreation …
Youth Groups
We run youth groups for young people aged 12 – 16 with additional support needs. We hold these groups for 1.5 hours every fortnight. Our ethos is person centered and we encourage the young people to plan their sessions. Our volunteers support the young people to achieve their goals and move onto positive destinations.
We encourage and support positive socialisation between peers which helps the young people to integrate within their community. Whilst at Families First, young people have the opportunity and safe space to be themselves, and to engage and interact with trusted adults.
The young people have access to many activities and opportunities; some new such as rock climbing and ultimate frisbee. We can provide, and work in partnership with external agencies to deliver special interest sessions such as internet safety when the need arises.
Schools Work
We hold 3 different groups and work within the 3 local high schools to support referred primary 7 children who are transitioning to secondary school between April and October.
April- June allows us to run focused group sessions meetings with other children from other schools and reducing isolation, introducing key staff members from their new school, inducting children around the building, looking at timetables and learning to tie a tie.
During the summer holidays we provide 2 sessions involving recreational activities to enable the children to meet up before they start high school – an anxiety for many before their big change.
August- October we run fortnightly drop-in lunchtime sessions at the high school. This allows the children to pop by and tell us how they are getting on, gives them a safe space to come and have lunch whilst they are getting established with their new routine or even to come and ask for help & support with any worries or concerns or something more specific.
We provide focused group work to local schools who have identified a need for children & young people. We are able to provide a programme to meet their needs and support individuals in a small group environment with their social & emotional wellbeing.
We also provide specialist one-to-one support to children and young people who are already in service to help them resolve challenges, personal to them, that may be impacting their educational attainment.
We are able to run seasons for growth groups to support children & adults – this is an educational based programme focusing on change, grief & loss.
... "Families First helps me be more social, and gives me the chance to talk about how I feel".
In our 2019 Survey, 70% of young people told us they... "are doing better at school"
Holiday Activities
During the summer holidays we provide a programme of activities to our children and young people to help bridge the long summer gap when our student volunteers have left town.
Activities are offered weekly over 4 weeks in 5 local communities – Leuchars, Tayport, St Andrews, East Neuk and Cupar. The children and young people are invited to their local group.
The activities include trips to parks and beaches, local outings to places of interest. These activities enable them to meet others from their community and give them opportunities they might not otherwise have had.
We need a new focus on supporting the whole family, recognising that families are where children are nurtured to grow and thrive. Simpson, C, Call 21, Children in Scotland Magazine- Special anniversary edition, October 2018, p.11