Introducing... Food-Plus+

Food-Plus+ is another new project for 2013 at A Way Out!

We will be developing and delivering weekly community hubs across four communities in Stockton-on-Tees. An integral element of these hubs will include the delivery of Food-Plus+, an initiative aimed to distribute nutritious food parcels to those who are in food poverty or who are struggling to feed themselves of their family. Perhaps they're struggling from severe financial difficulties or other unforeseen difficulties, and they need the help which Food-Plus+ can provide.

Each of the four hubs will also provide advice and information on healthy lifestyles and opportunities to learn new skills through related activities and courses, e.g. cookery skills, food budgeting etc. Each hub will be open for one afternoon a week, on a different day, ensuring food parcels and further advice and information is available every weekday, Monday to Friday.

We are already involved in food distribution at A Way Out, but it's really exciting to be offering more help and food parcels to those in food poverty on an even more regular basis. Upping the level of our involvement in distribution of food consequently ups our level of man-power needed! We will soon have a part-time Foodbank Development worker joining us, and at some point soon, we also hope to appoint a Community Hub Coordinator which will be a full time post.

However, this is not enough! We need volunteers to help make these hubs possible!

We are looking to recruit and build teams of Community Engagement Volunteers who can support the smooth running of these hubs. This would involve providing a warm, friendly and welcoming environment, talking to those who come in to the hubs and giving out food parcels, providing teas/coffees and refreshments, giving out basic information about classes and courses that we will run and encouraging people to engage with these activities, signposting people to other services where appropriate.

Would you like to come and join the team?

We have an open evening next week; Tuesday 12th March from 6-7:30pm at our building, the Gate in Stockton if you would like to find out more. Check out this event if you're on facebook.

If you're planning on coming, email kate.mayo@awayout.co.uk or ring our office on 01642 655071. We would love to see you there and to have you on board kickstarting this fantastic project!




With love from A Way Out x

Introducing ... COACH!

We are excited to introduce to you a brand new project within A Way Out... COACH! Our coaching programme is the first of a number of projects in process of setting up which we will spotlight on the blog over the next few weeks and months. It's an exciting time of change for A Way Out, as we continue to grow and develop our services.

COACH stands for Creating Opportunities and Casting Hope, an inspiring title, and one we know it will live up to. The programme aims to provide one-2-one mentoring and support for young people between the ages of 12-25 years. We are currently in the process of recruiting Volunteer Mentors to match with young people we have had referred to the project.

What is a Volunteer Mentor?

Volunteer Mentors offer practical support, activities or coaching towards positive life goals for young people who are at risk of poor outcomes, often linked to drug or alcohol misuse, school exclusion, homelessness or other risky lifestyle situations.
Volunteer Mentors build relationships with young people they are partnered with through weekly one to one sessions, involving an activity, or just a coffee and a chat. As relationships develop, they can offer support in various ways; perhaps teaching life skills such as cooking, or advocating on their behalf.

It's a great opportunity to make a real difference to a young person's life.

Who Can Be a Volunteer Mentor?

We are looking for individuals who have the following:

• A passion for young people
• Reliability for appointments
• 1-2 hours a week free, for approximately 9 months (we expect each coaching relationship to last 6-18 months)
• Ability to listen
• Life Skills
• Enthusiasm
• A sense of humour!

What's the Point of COACH?

COACH is about releasing potential in the lives of young people. The aim is to explore what they are hoping to achieve in life, in both the short-term and the long-term and put an action plan in place to work towards these goals. The relationship can last for over a year and significant changes may take several months to achieve but the ultimate aim is for the young person to take responsibility for their own lives and pursue positive outcomes for themselves and those around them.

What Next?

If you're interested to find out more or to sign up, then contact Jeanna, our Coach Coordinator by either emailing her jeanna.spencer@awayout.co.uk, or calling the office phone (01642 655071), and asking to speak to Jeanna.

We already have referrals for young people, and we're looking to match them to the right individuals. We will give full coaching training on a regular basis to our Mentoring Volunteers and offer them all the support they need for this exciting opportunity.

With love from A Way Out x

Heart2Change Graduation

Our Heart2Change project was launched last Autumn with five young women as a part of the recovery work we do. The aim of the project is to support 16-24 year old-women who have been a part of A WAY OUT for some time, and are committed to working on life skills and development. You can find out more about what the weekly program looked like from our blog post in January; Changing Hearts Changing Lives.

We reached the end of the program this Summer, and all five young women who began the course in November had extremely positive outcomes. Three young women saw the course right through and graduated from the program this Summer. During the course, one young woman decided to return to her college course, so didn't fully complete the program, but found renewed motivation from the program to continue learning and developing there. Another young woman was offered an apprenticeship which she decided to pursue, and we supported her in that decision.

The Heart2Change graduates, the Mayor of Stockton and A WAY OUT Staff

Two weeks ago we had a celebratory evening event - the Heart2Change Graduation - to celebrate all that these five young women achieved. We dressed up in suits and cocktail dresses and spent the evening in the beautiful Crathorne Hall in Yarm where we shared a delicious meal and excitement about all these girls have achieved and could achieve in the future.

The Mayor of Stockton came to our event too! She is a great support of our charity, naming us one of her charities of the year.

We ate dinner and had speeches, and then the young women received their awards!

They all received a bouquet of flowers, a certificate and an engraved vase.

As you can see, we had a lovely time!

It's been so important to recognise the significance of the Heart2Change program in the lives of the five young women we mentioned. Their commitment to development has been truly inspiring and we are so pleased for them and all they have achieved!

We want to leave you with Danni's Story...

Danni was referred to us by her college as she was homeless and having a really hard time. She was struggling to attend college and was experimenting with drugs and alcohol. Danni wanted to apply for Heart 2 Change to address these issues as well as to gain emotional support. Danni is now doing really well; family relationships have built back up and she finished her college course. She intends to go back to college next year to study social sciences in order to prepare her for university where she would like to study nursing.

This is Love, Hope and Freedom in action!

We are looking forward to the project starting again in the Autumn. Here's to more breakthroughs!

Love from A WAY OUT x

This Post Needs No Introduction

Need I say more?

Love from A Way Out x

We Love To Shout About What We're Up To!

This is the fundraising board in our office:

We like to be able to let everyone else in the office know what we're up to and what they can get involved in!  This is right in the middle of the building and so we all pass it every day whilst going about our work.

We think that it's so important to honour those who support us and so we have a little section of thank yous, for those who give to A Way Out, who have taken part in an event or volunteered with us. We also have newspaper cuttings and photos from events as well as prayer requests and an update on how much we've raised.

It's great as well when we have visitors here as they can see at a glance what we've been up to.

These are the events that are coming up next: a Charity Fashion Show at Teesside Uni, Bag Packs at Asda and Morrisons, Total Warrior in the Lake District and Afternoon Tea at Crathorne Hall. And we also have places for bungee jumpers at the Transporter Bridge! What takes your fancy?

I came in this morning to discover that another big black board has been put up for the projects team to do something similar. At the moment there are photos and posters scattered around the building but it's going to be even better to see everything at a glance and right next to the fundraising board too. We wouldn't be running any of these events if we weren't supporting the really inspiring, creative and life-changing work that our project workers do. Having this information side by side seems really appropriate :)

Why not pop by and see this sometime?

Love from A Way Out x