FIFAR supports Risborough Youth Club with a new dart board and electronic score board
The importance of Risborough Youth Club
Being part of a group can help young people develop important personal and interpersonal skills. These include the ability to think critically and solve problems, and the assumption of personal and group responsibility.
It can also help young people gain self-confidence and self-esteem. Contributing to a group can help them see themselves as being able to really help other people, and having something important to offer.
It can help reduce the risk of becoming involved in unsafe activities, such as using drugs and alcohol. Being involved in community activities has been shown to be a protective factor – that is, it helps young people to make healthy choices. That’s because by being involved in an organisation, they can develop a “safe” identity, and are less likely to participate in unsafe activities to feel they belong.
Young people involved in organisations can develop job skills, including organisation, the ability to run meetings, and experience working with a wide variety of people. These skills can help them be better prepared for any job they might choose.
Often, organisations give youth a “safe space” that they wouldn’t have otherwise – a place where they can express themselves through arts and activities, or just by being able to talk openly with peers and caring adults.
Youth organisations offer opportunities for leadership that young people might not get otherwise.
Young people involved in organisations can receive information on staying safe and healthy from their peers or adults they know and respect. They then pass on this information to other young people. In this way, youth organisations offer a credible way for young people to learn about staying healthy, because they can learn about it from friends they admire.
Young people can develop a strong support network of other young people who make healthy choices, and who can help convince them to stay healthy, too.
Advantages for the community
- Youth organisations can help change public perception of young people from being “the problem” to an important part of making life better in the community.
- Involving young people in the community helps them see themselves as part of the whole; they really do become less likely to cause problems and more likely to want to look for solutions.
- By involving young people, the community is allowing them to carefully develop their leadership potential, so that as they grow and learn they can become thoughtful, prepared leaders of society.
- Other community organisations can often partner with youth organisations, to mutual benefit. Young people bring a tremendous amount of life to an organisation; their energy, enthusiasm, creativity and perspective are invaluable.