Youth Group Minutes

Tuesday 21^st February 2006

In attendance;

Barrie Buchan

Linda Banks

Sean

Linda Press

Ernie Skea

Jane Morris

Apologies;

Peter Stephen

Ian Cox

Philip

Barrie opened the meeting by reading an e-mail sent to Clr P Stephen from Fraser Clyne (Neighbourhood Planning Officer) updating the youth group with progress in gaining access for the youth group to use the old school in Fairly Rd. Ernie and Jane then went on to clarify further details as follows.

• Use of one of the classrooms has been secured as a place for youths to meet one evening per week from 7-9.30pm with youth workers and volunteers staying until 10pm, using the last half hour as reviewing and planning time. The best evening suggested for use was a Wednesday.
• A site visit has been done by the appropriate people and a risk assessment will be prepared in order to cover health and safety requirements. Smoking areas need to be considered here with adequate extinguishing facility.
• Any equipment or furnishings put in by the youth group will have to be checked for health and safety.
• Cleaning arrangements/long term janitorial duties will have to be confirmed once areas to be used have been identified.
• Youth staff and volunteers will have to be briefed on health and safety before commencing.
• Initially two youth workers will be employed to work with the young people and it was suggested that a further two volunteer workers would be required to provide an appropriate level of supervision each evening. The volunteers would be given direction from the youth workers and it was strongly suggested that the volunteers should be regular each week so as to get best continuity and facilitate optimum relationships.
• Jane, the youth workers and the volunteers would have an initial meeting with the teenagers in order to brainstorm and facilitate the kids to set out some rules and policies. This would be when decisions regarding extra equipment, games or activities could be considered. Also decisions regarding how to split up age groups etc, etc could be discussed. This would ensure that the club ethos would belong to the kids right from the start.
• In the first instance it was thought that the room could contain seating, a TV, DVD and CD player.
• The let for the room will be taken out by Community Learning and is initially secured until the end of June 2006. After this time renegotiations will be dependant on review of the club progress and the relocation of ACC staff.

PLAN OF ACTION

1. Volunteer meeting is on Monday 27^th February @ KCC coffee shop @ 8pm. Youth group committee can give info regarding progress to date and help the volunteers fill in Disclosure Scotland forms. These forms will then have to be passed directly to Alison Scott at the Beacon Centre ASAP. We require 2 regular volunteers and approx 4 subs.

2. Volunteers to meet with Jane Morris and the Youth Workers @ KCC coffee shop on Wednesday 22^nd March @ 7pm. (book coffee shop) All queries can be discussed and plans made.

3. Once staff confirmed, spread the word by phone, posters etc, to the Kingswells teenagers that an open meeting will be on Thursday 30^th March at the old school @ 7.30pm for them to set up their club

4. Volunteers, Youth Workers, Jane Morris and Youth Group Committee to meet at the old school in Fairly Rd @ 7pm on Thursday 30^th March where they will receive a Health and Safety briefing. Teenagers will arrive after that for open meeting.

5. Official opening night of club would be planned for Wed 5^th April if possible.

6. Ernie will get in touch with us to update us on risk assessment and health and safety issues. He will confirm when we can put in our electrical items for checking.

7. Inform the Community Centre and clarify their plans for an open coffee shop.

8. Inform PC Kinghan.

9. Bear in mind that bids for funding are good if they come from the youth themselves.

10. Keep in touch with Madeline Mcsween from YAC.