HeadStart Community Award
We are so proud to be awarded the HeadStart Kent Community Award for Resilience and Emotional Well-Being
Being awarded for Resilience and Emotional Well-Being is tremendous affirmation for the past 5 years of hard work.
Our HeadStart Team, made up of staff and volunteers across the county have supported in excess of 800 young people during this time, offering each one a safe space, time and someone non-judgemental to offer that vital listening ear. Our mentoring model, whilst simple to put in words, yet very effective in practice, was recognised for making such positive impact in the lives of so many young people.
“Having a mentor has helped a lot with my goals, I can now deal with a lot more situations and not get angry or emotional.”
“I worry a lot less. The different strategies we covered have really helped in my day to day life.”
It was wonderful to join the HeadStart Kent Team, other HeadStart partners, representatives from the National Lottery, who funded the programme and young people at a Celebration and Learning Event on 8 June. This opportunity gave all involved in HeadStart Kent the much valued time and space to reflect on both individual achievements and those of the whole project….which has offered support to over 52,000 children in the past 5 years.
There were so many achievements shared at the event, including those by our volunteer mentors, demonstrating the project has been a success.
“I feel I have come so far with my anxiety. I feel happier, I used to be so unhappy. I was so negative about myself and that has changed now. I’ve come so far.”
A massive thank you to our team of staff and volunteers on receiving this award and for all their hard work over the past 5 years. As demand for our mentoring support continues to grow, we are excited by the opportunities and challenges that the next 5 years will bring!
“My mentor has helped me with my emotions and feelings around friends and family.”
As the HeadStart programme is completed this year, YLF is challenged with finding alternative, sustainable funding to ensure that
- 300 young people referred each year are supported
- our 100 active and trained volunteer mentors can continue offering their valuable gift of time
- and YLF can build and develop mentoring provision to meet the growing demand.
