What Young People Can Expect at The Shed!

Shaina Neuman, Youth and Schools Worker

We’ve hit September! That means schools are back in and on routine, and everything else has gone back to the way it will be.

That means that with our youth work, we are in meetings and planning stages to bring the best experience and times for the young people of our community this school term and beyond.

To start it off, we have changed the name of Thursday Youth Club to now be Youth Nights. Every Thursday, the Shed is open from 7:30PM-9:30PM for any in S1-S6. This year, we plan to have different themed nights throughout the year, as well as different events and activities that any in the Nicolson are welcome to attend. The best part is it’s all free! The only cost is if you want something from our well stocked Tuck Shop.

Friday Drop-ins are also getting a new look! Come along on Fridays after school from 1:15-4:00PM. Bring a friend and challenge a leader or volunteer to a game of pool on the new pool table, or why not build a whole new world in Minecraft? Who knows, there might even be new things to check out this year at drop-in.

We’ve also re-branded the look of our Youth Nights and Friday Drop-ins. Sophie, our social media expert, has worked tirelessly to put together a new look for the social media posts that are to come with all the information about club events, activities and what all else the Shed Youth Team will be doing.

The Youth Team does much more than clubs at the Shed. We provide an in-school club at Stornoway Primary and Laxdale Primary Schools. The team come in and work through a 16-week program curated specifically for the P7’s. There’s activities, games and discussions all around the topics that young people face every day in and out of school. Through engaging activities, the young people learn how to handle bullying, who to be a leader and grow in development skills and character. Every year, the P7’s look forward to the teams coming in, and this year to go along with our theme of new looks, we’ve given our P7 in school club a name. The “Game Changers” are the new crew to look out for!

Every month, we also meet with over 50 young people throughout the island for mentoring support. We are that listening ear, when maybe it’s too hard to talk to a parent or a teacher. We will come alongside and sit with you, with a cup of coffee, and be that sounding board. With 4 full time staff, some one is always available. The youth team work heavily with the school leadership and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar to ensure that all those that need that extra support and help have it readily! There’s no shame in asking for a little bit of help, and our youth team love to be that open and safe space.

What about those leaving school? Did you know that we have a group called “Pilot Project?” This is a group for S6 students. Want to learn how to transition into adulthood? Well, we’ve got a place for you. Due to demand, signing up is super important, but in the Pilot Project, you learn valuable life skills. From how to handle anxiety in preparing to move away from home, or how do you complete a CV, to learning from other businesses and peoples in the community how they built the resources and industries that they work in to work on this island. The group has even gone to BBC Scotland in Glasgow to learn more about professional work spaces, but to also have a “day in the life of a student” to learn about all city life items from city buses to the layout and even just how to navigate somewhere else that what you are used to.

What more could there be for the young people? Well, we have even more plans and initiatives for this year that we are super excited for! Keep an eye on our social media pages to learn about them as they are developed and launched!