East Bergholt Youth Club – Q3 Summary Report
Executive Summary
During Q3 (October–December), East Bergholt Youth Club delivered weekly, open-access
youth provision that continues to grow in consistency, quality and trust among local young
people. Despite constraints relating to space, storage and shared use of the venue, the
club offered a broad programme of physical, creative, food-based and social activities,
alongside essential developmental and safeguarding support. The team has demonstrated
strong professional practice in behaviour management, relationship-building and
responsive delivery. Engagement of older young people (14–16) remains a priority and is
limited primarily by venue constraints and access to age-appropriate resources. With
improved facilities and modest resource investment, the club is well placed to strengthen
attendance, extend sessions and further embed itself as a vital community asset.
Overview
During Q3, East Bergholt Youth Club continued to grow as a consistent and trusted
provision for local young people. Weekly sessions were delivered by Oli and Elle (with
additional staff support during October and December), offering a safe, welcoming
environment that balanced structured activities with responsive youth work practice.
Despite limitations relating to space, storage, shared use of the venue and seasonal
weather, the club delivered a wide-ranging programme and provided consistent
developmental support to young people attending.
Attendance & Engagement
Attendance fluctuated across the quarter, influenced by weather, half term, seasonal
commitments and shared use of facilities. Where young people attended, engagement
was generally strong, with consistent evidence of positive peer interaction, cooperative
play and increasing confidence within the space.
Staff regularly supported young people with behaviour management, emotional regulation
and conflict resolution. This work, while often unseen, is a core element of effective youth
work and underpins the positive atmosphere of the club.
Session Delivery – Q3 Highlights
Across the quarter, sessions included: – Physical activities: football, volleyball,
badminton, bowling-style games and team challenges – Creative activities: Halloween
crafts, cupcake decorating, Christmas crafts and cookie decorating – Food-based
sessions: pizza wraps, nachos and shared snacks, supporting social skills and informal
learning – Social activities: karaoke, board and card games, festive games and informal
social time

Sessions were regularly adapted in response to young people’s interests, behaviour and
group dynamics. This flexibility is considered best practice in open-access youth provision
and supports sustained engagement.
Behaviour, Boundaries & Developmental Work
During November and December, staff identified an increased need to reset expectations
and reinforce boundaries. Dedicated sessions focused on co-creating rules with young
people, discussing respect for the space and resources, and encouraging accountability.
These sessions were reflective and restorative in nature and resulted in improved
engagement, greater ownership of the club space, and more respectful use of equipment.
Staff also identified and supported individual emotional needs, ensuring young people felt
listened to and supported.
Safeguarding & Wellbeing
Throughout Q3, staff appropriately identified and responded to safeguarding concerns,
liaising with schools where necessary and submitting formal reports when required. Clear
boundaries were maintained to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all young people
attending.
Engaging Older Young People (14–16)
Engaging an older cohort remains a key priority. During Q3, Oli proactively visited the local
high school to introduce himself and explore running small, informal games-based
sessions as a trust-building approach. Although initial discussions were positive, repeated
follow-up attempts have not yet received a response.
Evidence from comparable provision, including our Kesgrave Youth Club, shows that
access to age-appropriate social resources (e.g. games consoles, table games) and
consistent staffing are key factors in sustaining engagement with this age group.
Promotion & Visibility
We recognise the importance of improving local awareness of the youth club. During Q3,
social media promotion was slower to establish due to staffing alignment; however, posts
began appearing consistently from mid-December, particularly within relevant local
Facebook groups. The impact of this increased visibility is expected to become clearer in
the following quarter. We are also reimagining the poster for the club, utilising the co-
produced logo and hope this will be seen round the area more throughout this next quarter.
Venue Limitations & Session Length
As discussed previously with Marion, the current venue presents practical limitations.
Space constraints, shared use of facilities, lack of storage and the requirement to clear the
space after each session restrict both session length and the range of activities that can be
safely offered, particularly during winter months.

These constraints limit the introduction of fixed social equipment and longer sessions,
rather than staff capacity or ambition.
Resources & Future Development
The team has identified a small number of key resources that would significantly enhance
engagement, particularly for older young people. Items such as a Nintendo Switch or a
pool table are standard features of youth clubs and have proven effective in comparable
settings. Any investment must be balanced against current storage limitations.
We remain keen to be part of the proposed move to the former Church building and see
strong potential for it to become a true long-term home for East Bergholt Youth Club. The
team has clear aspirations for a space that allows multiple activity zones, outdoor growing
projects and greater flexibility. For this to succeed, the building must meet core functional
requirements from the outset, enabling sustainable growth rather than ongoing constraint.
Conclusion
Q3 has demonstrated East Bergholt Youth Club to be a growing and impactful provision
delivered by a committed and skilled team. Despite environmental constraints and
complex behavioural needs, the club continues to provide a vital safe space for young
people, support positive social development and lay strong foundations for future growth.
With appropriate space, resources and continued partnership working, the club is well
placed to further increase engagement, particularly with older young people, and to
strengthen its role within the East Bergholt community.

Appendix 1: Q3 Session Summary
Date Session Focus Key Activities Staff Present
1 Oct Pizza Wraps Volleyball, piano, food
preparation
Ayla, Elle, Oli
8 Oct Volleyball & Karaoke Group sports, karaoke,
safeguarding discussion
Ayla, Elle, Oli
15 Oct Nachos & Bowling Outdoor games, food
prep, social play
Elle, Oli
22 Oct Halloween Cupcakes Football, badminton,
cupcake decorating
Elle, Oli
29 Oct Halloween Activities Crafts, group games,
snacks
Elle, Oli
5 Nov Games Night Board games, informal
social time
Elle, Oli

Date Session Focus Key Activities Staff Present
12 Nov Games Night New board games,
behaviour reset identified
Elle, Oli
19 Nov Rule Reset Co-created rules, group
discussion, games
Elle, Oli
26 Nov Rule Refresher Expectations review,
games, birthday
celebration
Elle, Oli
3 Dec Xmas Cookie
Decorating
Baking, creativity, group
games
Elle, Oli
10 Dec Xmas Crafts Wreaths, crafts,
supported behaviour
management
Chloe, Oli
17 Dec Xmas Games Festive games, quizzes,
social play
Elle, Oli