Club Club

Stoke Ferry Youth Club

It seems that the village youth club is a success. Rarely has an evening been poorly attended. We have the welcome support of the Parish Council and the Community Association and not to forget the weekly voluntary help without which the youth club would not happen, as well as fund raising support.

Over the past year the members of 'Club Club' have formed a youth committee engaged in fund-raising, attended Parish council meetings and have been great assistance and many community events. i.e. Stoke Ferry Feel Good Day, Family learning Fortnight, The School Fete and the Harvest Fayre. It has been my pleasure to work with many of them.

Youth work does have its dark side. Just like adults young people can be destructive, a pain and have problems. Sometimes I wonder why am I doing this work.

But it is this dark side that is perhaps the reason why something should be provided for young people in the village. We must remember that the protagonists of Chaos are always very small in number. It is too easy to judge and condemn, but it is more challenging to work with the problems.

A new academic year is upon us and the youth club is being inundated with new members, some I feel far to young. Sorry but we have got to draw a line somewhere. We've got 8 to 10 year olds desperate to become teenagers but where does that leave the teenagers? It is a dilemma how to accommodate the age ranges of 11/17. One Evening a week will not do it, but something is better than nothing.

The youth club is entirely dependant on voluntary help we have two volunteers and yours truly. If one of us is unavailable the club gets cancelled. I don't feel this is satisfactory but without more support that's the way it is.

The young people have lots of ideas; they need help making them happen. It can be anything from playing ping-pong to mountain climbing. Maybe you have a passion you could share that would engage a small or large group.

What will be your reward? Increased powers of tolerance, confusion and a sound Karma.

To help contact me on 501050 or 502050 or turn up one Wednesday evening.

John C. Preston