Issue 3 - January 2008.

Welcome to KEYISSUES, the quarterly Keyfund newsletter.

Welcome to the third edition of Key Issues. I hope you’ve had a fantastic Christmas and a great start to the New Year.

I wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who got involved with Keyfund in 2007 and an extra big thanks to all the facilitators who have directly improved the lives of so many young people.

We’ve got an exciting year ahead where we’ll launch loads of new initiatives to help support you better.

These will include a new website for young people, plenty of lovely new publicity materials, a regional party event organised by young people and much more.

I’m looking forward to a great 2008 for everyone.

Hannah, Chief Executive

Feedback from the Celebration Event

The Celebration Event held at Durham County Cricket Club in September was a great success with over a hundred people attending throughout the day.

The partygoers were made up of facilitators, partners, funders, potential funders and most of all lots of young people who all shared their Keyfund work with other groups.

Some groups even gave performances of songs and dancing to music. Loads of fun was had by all, we hope to do even more stuff next time around.

Marvellous Keyfund Groups

Group name: Mado's
Facilitator: Cheryl Convery          
Group Location: Northbourne Street Youth Initiative
Stage: 1
Activity: Pantomime and meal

Group name: ET
Facilitator: Cheryl Convery          
Group Location: Northbourne Street Youth Initiative
Stage: 1 and 2
Activity: Wet N Wild and a Football Tournament

Northbourne Street Youth Initiative (NSYI) aims to support young people’s development through activity and achievement. So they were happy to take part in the Keyfund’s accreditation pilot.

This is where the young people who are working on a Keyfund project complete an extra pack which makes up a portfolio that explains how they used the skills, what the skills mean in their own words, and how good they were with the key skills so they can get an Asdan certificate for their work on the Keyfund.

Four young people from NSYI successfully took part in the pilot, overall they found it easy to do as they were able to work through the accreditation pack alongside the normal Keyfund one.  

One of those who took part said:
"We sent off the folder but it was returned because there was a few bits missing in the questions but we did them and sent it back and a couple of weeks later they sent the folder back and a certificate as well. I thought it was really easy because we worked through it with care."
BY JAMIE DIXON

Group name: Fabulous Five
Facilitator: Maureen Wallace          
Group Location: Gosforth Middle School, Newcastle
Stage: 1
Activity: Bowling, Meal and cinema

The Fabulous Five group where very creative and interactive at their panel by using twelve skittles, each skittle had a Keyfund skill written on it, they then asked each panel member in turn to knock a skittle down each member of the group then demonstrated their understanding of each skill and demonstrated how they had used these skills throughout the Keyfund process.

Keyfund Group the  “Singing Sensations” have been nominated and short-listed for the “Sunderland Young Achievers Award 2008” in the group music and performing arts category.

The presentation takes place on Thursday 6th March 2008 at The Stadium of Light where the results for each category will be announced.  The group said it was a huge honour to be nominated, and to be short-listed into the final 3 is a massive achievement.

"We are very proud of the group for getting this far and wish them the best of luck on the night. We’ve got our fingers crossed. We will let you know the outcome."
Amanda Gerry Sunderland Keyfund Development Worker 

Recognition of 4th stages registered

Well done to the Olga group from Durham City Centre Youth Project, for reaching the 4th stage. Their project involves Peer training-virtual babies and investigating aspects of sex & relationships. They believe it will be of huge benefit to young people in their community.

Big, Bigger and Biggest

We are now under way with the Big Bigger Biggest celebration event planning, 12 young people from across the region have already started to work in the first event. 

They have planned a residential which will be held in January 2008.

This will take place in Alston in Cumbria and run over 2 days with outdoor activities as well as work on the celebration event. It should be a very exciting weekend.

The young people will decide on everything to do with the big event, including what activities will take place, where it will be held and how they can invite everyone. So watch this space for more information.

If young people in your group would like to help or get involved then please contact  Dave Kelsey at the office and he’d be happy to help.

Accreditation Opportunities
Through our partnership with Changemakers, Keyfund groups have the opportunity to gain an accreditation through the Youth Achievement Awards. This accreditation can run alongside and complement the Keyfund process and its 4 Stages.

The Youth Achievement Awards are a peer education approach to recognizing and accrediting young people’s achievements.  The awards are designed to help young people take an active role in the activities that interest them.  They come in 4 levels:

• Participation
• Organising
• Leading activities
• Peer support

Mike Kelsey works with Changemakers and is responsible for accreditation throughout the region.  He is happy to talk with anyone interested about accreditation and can explain the process.   

Mike can be contacted on: 0191 226 7330

Keyfund Federation moves house!

We are now settled into our new office. 

Our address details are:

Keyfund Federation Ouseburn Warehouse, 36 Lime Street, Ouseburn Valley, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 2PQ Tel: 0191 2614029 Fax: 0191 2211871

We’d like to extend a warm Ouseburn welcome to everyone and if you are ever passing, the coffee jug is always full!!

Contact details of Development Workers in your area:

Cumbria Keyfund:

Caroline Beswick,
Development Worker,
The Rawmsley Centre,
Main Street,
Keswick,
CA12 5NP

Tel: 0176 877 5085
Email: carolinebeswick@youngcumbria.org.uk

Newcastle Keyfund:

Maureen Wallace,
Development Worker,
447 Armstrong Road,
Scotswood,
Newcastle Upon Tyne,
NE15 6HS

Tel: 0191 274 2429
Email: maureenwallace@keyfund.org.uk

North Yorkshire Keyfund:

Jo,
Development Worker,
North Yorkshire County Council,
County Hall,
North Allerton,
DLY 8AE

Tel: 01609 532 436
Email: keyfund4youth@northyorks.gov.uk

Sunderland Keyfund:

Amanda Gerry,
Development Worker,
St Mary’s & St Peter’s Community Project,
Springwell Road,
Sunderland,
SR3 4DY

Tel: 0191 520 2745
Email: keyfund@svsyf.org.uk

Turnaround of cheques

As many of you will be aware there has been a lot of work taking place at Keyfund over the past few months.

Reviewing and improving our systems and processes thanks to the efforts of Karen, Christine, Lynne and Daniel we have been able to turnaround the cheques in a shorter space of time, so it ends up in the hands of the young people quicker.

This is why it’s really important that we receive all the necessary paperwork from yourselves as facilitators and panel members. We thank you for working with us and enabling all the young people working through the Keyfund process to enjoy the activity they have planned. 

We have been currently working towards turning the cheques around in 10 working days and within 5 working days by April 2008.
 
I hope you see the benefit of our efforts and continue to work with Keyfund.

Keyfund AGM feedback

AGM / EGM
Thanks to those who attended the AGM in December. It turned out to be a lively event with plenty thought provoking debate.

In particular, this included a detailed discussion on the need for changes to our membership structure and it was decided that we will open up a full consultation and communication period starting now and culminating in an EGM on the 5th March.

At the EGM, a new structure will be proposed for ratification. Please, keep your eyes peeled and your ears pricked to see how you can get involved in this debate, in a way that best suits you.

Come on to all you facilitators out there. This section is just for you, we’d love to hear your voice. Let’s have some stories to share!!!

We thought we’d kick off the debate with a hot topic that we’ve come across lately.

To paintball or not to paintball is the question
Paintballing is one activity that seems to divide the opinions of facilitators and project managers, regionwide. We regularly receive applications for groups who want to go paintballing.

As you know, young people choose the projects for themselves and Keyfund gladly fund it as long as they can demonstrate their learning. However, some organisations and local authorities have banned paintballing activities.

There are strong arguments for and against Keyfund continuing to fund paintballing projects so we want to know your opinion on whether we should or shouldn’t add paintballing to the small list of things Keyfund will not fund.

Please reply with:

• Yes - Keyfund should fund paintballing projects
  or
• No - Keyfund shouldn't fund paintballing projects
  

Arguments for:

• Good fun
• Team building
• Requires skill
• Outdoor activity involving exercise. Keyfund shouldn't censor young people's ideas
  

Arguments against:

• Young people shooting at each other, is this a small step towards doing it for real
• Dangerous health and safety implications
• The price of paint balls once the initial ones are used
• It could provide a platform for bullying

Keyfund Training
Wednesday Jan 9th 2008
Tees Valley

Keyfund Training
Wednesday Jan 16th 2008
Tees Valley

Keyfund Training
Tuesday Feb 5th 2008
Darlington

Keyfund Training
Wednesday Feb 13th 2008
Cumbria

Keyfund Training
Tuesday Mar 4th 2008
Northumberland

Keyfund Training
Tuesday Mar 5th 2008
Durham/Tees Valley

Keyfund Training
Tuesday Mar 11th 2008
Newcastle/North Tyneside Gateshead/South Tyneside

Keyfund Training
Wednesday Mar 12th 2008
Darlington

Keyfund Training
Tuesday Sep 23rd 2008
Northumberland

Keyfund Training
Wednesday Sep 24th 2008
Durham/Tees Valley

Keyfund Training
Wednesday Oct 1st 2008
Newcastle/North Tyneside Gateshead/South Tyneside

Keyfund Training
Thursday Oct 2nd 2008
Darlington

Contact Christine on
0191 2614029 about joining us on these training days.

We will be delivering refresher training throughout the year for facilitators who are coming up to their third year with Keyfund, please keep checking our website www.keyfund.org.uk for details dates and venues.

Keyfund Board Meetings
Thursday February 28th
Thursday April 17th
Thursday June 19th
Thursday August 28th
Thursday October 16th
Thursday December 18th

Keyfund EGM
Wednesday Mar 5th 2008 time and venue to be confirmed.

“Our students have undertaken a wide range of enterprising activities both social and for profit.  Group sizes have ranged from 2 to 50.  At one stage there were 28 small companies operating from the school, all having gone through the Keyfund process."

“I have used the process with a varied range of Young People across the region in the last seven years and have found it to be applicable throughout the spectrum of engagement from the most disaffected to gifted and talented.

Using the Keyfund process has allowed the young people I work with to raise their self esteem to engage with and participate actively in their communities. Raising the profile of young people in a positive way.

For many young people this is the first contact with learning which is not judgemental, where the approach is encouraging and where their thoughts and impressions are not just sought, but recognised and valued.

Please forward any links you use that may be useful to share with others.

You can see a summary of Gordon Browns 10 year strategy at:
Department for Children, Schools and Families

wearev.com

Every Child Matters

We are enjoying working with several Keyfund Partners see below:

Changemakers

Darlington Youth Service

Northumberland County Council

FACT - (Families and Childrens Trust) Northumberland County Council is delivering a special funding stream specifically for young people around the issue of health.

North Yorkshire County Council

We want to extend a special thanks to Maureen Wallace who stood down from our board of Directors last year, to work on a part time basis as the Development Worker for the Newcastle Network based in Scotswood Area Strategy, seconded from Newcastle Play and Youth Service.

Thank you for continuing to support Keyfund Maureen.

Dave Kelsey joins Keyfund as the Operations Manager.

Hello and Happy New Year to you all, A bit about me I have been a Keyfund Facilitator for many years working across the region with many different community and voluntary  sector youth groups.

In my spare time, I am a keen clay pigeon shooter and enjoy spending time in the countryside. I also build remote control model boats, most float and work well, but one did a very good impression of the Titanic.

I follow Sheffield Wednesday FC not the biggest of clubs, but you can always get a laugh watching them play. These hobbies take second place to my two kids as I am the usual taxi driver, bank manager and general dogsbody.

I have been in the post now for 4 months and am looking forward to working with you all. Some of you will know me, some have yet to have that doubtful pleasure, but I am here to help and work with you to enable young people to develop and get the best out of the Keyfund experience. 

I am in the process of setting up network meetings in your area so we can all meet and get to know each other,  if you have any problems, ideas or simply want a chat, just ring me at the office on 0191 261 4029 or on 07909 532 945 or you can e-mail me here.   

I’ll be delivering Keyfund training over the next few months so if any of your colleagues would like to be trained or need refresher training, then let me know and I will add them to this years events. 

Dave
Operations manager

Kate Welch OBE (Keyfund Federations Chair)

Kate was awarded an OBE in the 2008 New Year Honours list for services to Social Enterprise in the North East.

Congratulations Kate!

Introducing Lynne Percival, Keyfunds Office Manager

Hi there.
We hope you enjoyed reading this newsletter.

I get all your ‘keyissues@’ emails – so please do let us know what you think!

Again the newsletters will keep you up to date with what’s happening at Keyfund. We are already looking for stories/articles for next edition, please feel free to send us any photos or stories we can feature.

We also want to air your views and share ideas and any comments in any edition.

Thank you and best wishes for 2008.

keyissues@keyfund.org.uk