Inspire:
Established in 2003 and rebranded to Inspire in 2013, our purpose is to improve the lives of under 25s in Suffolk (&
surrounding areas) facing challenges or disadvantage to realise their potential by providing opportunities, supporting
them in developing the skills, tools, behaviours and experiences to be able to progress positively and successfully in
their lives.
From our bases in Ipswich, Hadleigh and Lowestoft we run a range of youth work, education, mental and physical
wellbeing services and interventions which all work towards fulfilling our purpose by all young people being able to
have timely access to our services which:
• Build positive relationships and support networks.
• Improve physical and mental wellbeing.
• Make positive choices away from harmful and risky behaviours and practices.
• Improve confidence and self-esteem.
• Run social action projects.
• Gain work experience.
• Build practical and soft skills.
• Overcome difficulties and re-engage with education.
• Move into or closer to employment.
• Access information and advice.

Proposal:
Our objective is to establish a vibrant Youth Club in East Bergholt aiming to create a supportive and inclusive safe
social space for local young people to grow, connect, and contribute positively to their community.
The Youth Club
On a night and at a venue to be agreed, Inspire will bring Youth Activities back to East Bergholt for young people
from year 7 to year 11 initially during term time. Additionally, we will work with the Parish Council to understand
whether there is a need to delivery extra activities during the holidays.
The purpose of a youth club is to provide a safe, supportive, and engaging environment for young people to
socialise, learn, and participate in various activities with trusted adults. Designed to meet the developmental needs
of adolescents, we will offer a range of opportunities that contribute to personal, social, and educational growth.
This includes:
Social Interaction: A space for young people to connect with their peers in a positive and supervised setting. Social
interaction is crucial for the development of communication skills, teamwork, and the formation of friendships.
Recreation and Leisure: Organised recreational and leisure activities, including sports, games, arts and crafts, music,
and cultural events. These activities contribute to the physical, emotional, and creative well-being of young people
and have included trips to local beaches, small social action projects, trips to bowling or other activities.
Personal Development: Supporting the personal development of young individuals, this would involve sessions to
build life skills such as leadership, decision-making, finance management, problem-solving, hygiene, relationships,
nutrition and cooking and self-confidence.

Community Engagement: The Youth clubs would be used as a platform for young people to engage with other
groups and activities in the local community. This would include uniformed groups, faith, arts and sports groups. We
would work closely with these other groups and providers in the area to ensure young people are aware of
additional activities and inviting them into the youth club to showcase their group whenever possible.
Prevention and Support: Youth workers would be available to offer information, advice and guidance. Inspire runs a
range of other support programmes open to young people, including free mental health counselling and access to
personal hygiene and emergency food packages.
Youth Empowerment: Young people are given a voice in decision-making processes. Empowering young individuals
to actively participate in shaping their environment and addressing issues important to them is a fundamental aspect
of our work. We believe young people will value the provision more if they are involved in decision making and
fundraising aspects of their club.
Inclusivity: The youth club will be inclusive and diverse, welcoming young people from different backgrounds,
cultures, and abilities. This promotes a sense of unity and understanding among the youth. Behavioural codes of
conduct will be agreed and young people will be expected to adhere to this to ensure the safety of everyone who
attends.

Benefits to Young People:
1. Improved Emotional Wellbeing:
a. Social Interaction and Support: Young people we work with in these targeted areas often face various emotional
challenges. Our youth activities provide opportunities for social interaction, making friends, and building a sense of
belonging. This can alleviate feelings of loneliness, isolation, and depression.
b. Stress Reduction: Physical activity, such as sports, can release endorphins, which are natural mood lifters.
Engaging in these activities helps reduce stress and anxiety, leading to improved emotional wellbeing.
c. Expressing Emotions: Youth workers in drop-in services create a safe and trusted space for young people to
express their thoughts and emotions. They do this through discussions, art projects, or other therapeutic activities
that encourage self-expression.
2. Improved Life and Practical Skills:
a. Problem-Solving: Young people can develop problem-solving skills. In sports, they learn to strategize and adapt to
changing game situations. In drop-in services, they engage in activities that require critical thinking and decision-
making.

b. Communication Skills: Learning and using effective communication is crucial at this age, when transitioning to
teen hood / adult hood presents many emotional and developmental challenges. Young people will learn (through
‘play’) to communicate with their peers, and youth workers, improving their interpersonal skills.
c. Time Management: Structured activities require commitment and time management. Young people learn to
balance their schedules, building a valuable life skill.
d. Leadership and Teamwork: Through team and group activities, young people can develop leadership and
teamwork skills. They learn to collaborate with others and take on responsibilities.
3. Access to Trusted Relationships with Adults and Feeling Safer:
a. Mentorship: Youth workers will act as mentors and positive role models. They provide guidance, support, and a
listening ear. This trusted relationship can help young people feel safer and more secure.
b. Safe Spaces: Drop-in services are safe and supervised environments. This reduces exposure to potential risks and
dangers, contributing to a sense of physical safety.
c. Building Trust: The consistent presence of caring adults in the lives of young people fosters trust. When young
people have a trusted support system, they are more likely to confide in these adults when they face challenges or
need help.
Overall, our youth services will offer opportunities for personal growth, social interaction, and mentorship, which are
crucial for the holistic development of young individuals.
Evidencing the benefits:
To monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of our work and demonstrate the benefits mentioned above, we will use:
Ongoing Data Collection: Throughout the programme, we will regularly collect quantitative and qualitative data. This
would include tracking attendance, performance in structured activities, and observations of peer interactions and
communication.
Feedback Surveys: We will collect feedback from participants, focusing on their perceived changes in confidence,
feelings of safety, wellbeing, life skills and opinions on our services. This feedback will provide valuable insights into
the program’s impact and create opportunities for using youth voice as a development tool.
Case Studies: In-depth case studies will be conducted to showcase individual success stories, highlighting how the
programme has specifically benefited participants.
Programme Reviews: Regular programme reviews will assess the effectiveness of the activities, content, and overall
structure.
Continuous Improvement: Based on the evaluations and feedback, we will continuously refine and improve our
programmes to better meet the needs of the young people we work with.
Safeguarding & Risk:
Inspire holds robust safeguarding processes, health and safety procedures and all activities are frequently risk
assessed. All staff and volunteers are enhanced DBS checked on recruitment and every 3 years.
Inspire seeks to provide an inclusive environment where everyone can work safely, and children, young people and
adults at risk can engage with the charities activities and enjoy programmes provided through the work of the
charity. It is the policy of Inspire to take responsibility and promote the welfare of all children, young people, and
adults at risk and to keep them safe from abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
We are committed to practice in a way that protects them and to ensure no child, young person or adult at risk will
experience abuse of any kind. It is also Inspires’ policy to provide those working for or with the charity, a framework

to operate within to keep everyone who is engaged in the Charity’s activities safe. This policy applies to all staff,
including senior managers and the board of trustees, volunteers, sessional workers, agency staff, or anyone working
on behalf of Inspire. Full policies are available on request.
Staffing:
The youth service will be run by an experienced Lead Youth Worker overseen by a project manager who is a qualified
youth worker. Local volunteers are vital to delivery and with the assistance of the parish council these should be
sourced from local community, i.e. Council staff, local church members. It is likely that at least 1 sessional youth
worker will need to be employed to ensure consistency for young people and support for volunteers.
Budget:
Based on 40 Weeks of delivery
Item £ Notes
Direct Project Costs
– Materials & Supplies
– Marketing & promotion
– Staff Travel
– Staff Uniforms
– Phone & IT
– DBS & Training
– Venue*
£1,971
£800
£607
£264
£50
£150
£100
£0*

£20 per session

*assuming no venue costs will be payable by Inspire.
Staffing (inc NI & pension)
– Lead youth worker
– Sessional youth worker
– Project Manager
£6,242.27
£2,592.30
£2,592.30
£1,057.67

4.5 Delivery & set-up / take-down
4.5 Delivery & set-up / take-down
1hr per week
Central Service Costs £2,739.00 Finance, safeguarding, governance activities
Capital £1000 Equipment & activity set up purchases

Total

£11,952

Sustainability and future strategic direction:
Expanding our geographic reach across Suffolk is in line with Inspire’s growth strategy. This expansion would mean
we could bring to the area:
– In-school youth worker support. This service, currently part of our Porch Project offering in Hadleigh, works
in local secondary schools (we are already delivering in East Bergholt High School) and colleges offering
weekly 1-2-1 sessions with any young person in need of support. This work deals with a wide range of issues
as you would expect, including family worries, relationships, tier 1 mental health, bullying, educational issues
and many more.
– Holiday club activities. Both paid for clubs and funded spaces through HAF funding are available across our
venues and at local primary schools, we offer dance, sports, cooking art & craft days during the school
holidays.
– Safe Social Spaces – in addition to youth club evenings, this is generally for young adults, the majority of
whom are from LBTQI+ communities and offers informal youth work, information and guidance.
– National Citizens Service – Employability, Life Skills and Social Action projects.
– Personal Development and Educational opportunities for NEET young people 16-25years through our
Personal Development, Youth Employment Services and Prince’s Trust Team Program.

Detached Youth Work around East Bergholt:
Outside of the youth club delivery, later down the line if a need is identified, we could use our mobile youth unit to
engage with young people in their community, in the in the spaces in which they meet and congregate. There is no
expectation that young people should move on from these spaces, but there is an expectation for youth workers to
build purposeful relationships which can be used to facilitate change, informal learning and develop future
community-based services and activities.

Street outreach to young people serves several important
purposes, aiming to reach and engage with youth who may be
facing various challenges and are often outside of traditional
service structures. Our mobile youth centre can also offer
basic necessities such as food, drink and hygiene products;
youth workers also provide information about available
resources and support young people in accessing these
services.