GYC believes that project work can really benefit young people by giving a focus to their involvement and engaging them in a range of different styles of youth work.
Graffiti Project
Every summer we have run a successful graffiti project for young people to direct their artistic energies creatively and legitimately! Evidence of these projects can be found all around the Centre’s grounds and inside on our display boards.
Garden Project
Working in partnership with a variety of environmental partners including British Conservation Trust Volunteers and The Green Team, GYC has embarked on several local projects designing the grounds and creating their vision of a garden for the Centre which can be used by all local young people day or night as a safe youth zone.
Forum Theatre
Following on form our own successful theatre production in 2009, North West Side Story, GYC is developing its reputation as a centre dedicated to opening up the dramatic arts for young people to either perform, write or help produce/direct. The latest staging in 2010 of a style of theatre known as “forum theatre” where young people get to decide form the audience what direction a play might take by suggesting the actions of the players is talking place under the title of Split//Second.
Art Exhibitions
GYC has displayed its photography in a number of diverse venues, including Out of the Blue, The Citadel Youth Centre, North Edinburgh Arts and The Western General Hospital. Currently the Crossing the Lines digital gallery and DVD produced by young people from North Edinburgh about the subject of territorialism is on display in Berlin.
Empowerment and Participation
Central to the ethos of GYC is the empowerment of young people. We feel strongly that young people should have a real say in the services that are on offer not only at GYC but also throughout the area and Edinburgh.
Our Empowerment and Participation Think Tank has been set up to work with young people to develop their skills and confidence to participate in democratic structures, such as GYC’s Board, the North Edinburgh Youth Forum, and the Scottish Youth Parliament. The Think Tank is made up of our young staff members who are currently studying at Edinburgh University. Their ultimate goal is to produce a Participation Strategy for the whole organisation.
If there is an issue that affects young people or a local issue that young people feel strongly about, they are encouraged through support and groupwork to develop their ideas for campaigns and lobbying. The young people of today are the adults of tomorrow, and we believe in getting them ready for the world in which they will live.
Street-Work
GYC believes there is a huge role for street-work in North Edinburgh, especially given that vast numbers of young people either do not actively engage with the services in the area. North Edinburgh Street-work Initiative is part of the Granton Youth Centre Ltd. franchise.
Granton Youth Centre offers a range of services designed to reduce harm to young people and maximise their potential to take part in the educational and recreational activities as part of the centre’s everyday programme.
12-15 Individual Support Work
Any young person in the area can work individually with a Youth Worker instead of or as well as attending a group. This can take the form of a one-off consultation of it could be crisis intervention work.
Counselling
GYC can make a limited number of appointments to see our trained counsellor. The service is on-site and takes place on a Tuesday afternoon until early evening or at a time and place to suit. The service is available to over 15s only.
Employability Unit
GYC has a dedicated Employabilty Unit staffed by two experienced workers, whose role is to offer individual support and Groupwork for young people who may have difficulty finding or keeping a job.
GYC holds courses aimed at older young people (15-25) who may need extra help in getting and keeping a job. The courses, better known as “Getting Yer Heid Together” have been running successfully for the past 6 years and have helped over 150 young people find work. Support is also available for the issues that can affect young people’s likelihood of finding employment and the EU has good links with drugs agencies that can offer on-site one to one support.
If you want to contact staff at the Employability Unit then please contact either Jamie or Tracey by emailing Jamie@grantonyouth.com or tracey@grantonyouth.com
C-Card Plus
C-Card is a free and confidential service, providing free condoms, advice and information for people aged 13 and over
- We don’t need your name and address. All you will be asked for is your date of birth and the first part of your postcode. This information is confidential and you cannot be traced from it.
- You can be seen in a private space by a youth worker who will chat to you, show you how to put on a condom and offer you information about safer sex.
- You will get a purple C-card if you are under 16 with your own personal number on it. If you are over 16 your C-card will be silver.
- The youth worker will show you all the condoms in the C-card range and help you choose the most appropriate ones.
Remember that C-card is confidential. This means we won’t tell your parents or guardians, anyone at school, or anyone else that you are using C-card unless we think someone might be harming you.
This service is available at Granton Youth Centre as well as at Broughton High School. C-Card Direct (0ver 16s) is also available from our Street-workers.
Getting It Right
Getting it right for every child in Edinburgh.
Granton Youth Centre, as one of the partner agencies in the Edinburgh Network of Voluntary Organisations for Children, Young People and Families, is fully committed to the GIRFEC in Edinburgh approach.
Getting it right for every child, known as GIRFEC, is about agencies and professionals working in partnership with children, young people and their families to try to ensure the best outcomes for children and young people, always keeping the child/young person at the centre of this approach. Granton Youth Centre will work to ensure that the needs of young people and their families are fully included and that staff and volunteers at GYC understand the GIRFEC approach and how it can help a child or young person get some extra support when it’s most needed.
Here is a link to the GIRFEC in Edinburgh website: www.edinburgh.gov.uk/girfec
Work with Parents and Carers
A group of local women meets every Sunday at GYC between 2pm and 4pm to support each other especially about issues of parenting and living locally. The group is an informal support network for anyone either struggling with difficult teens, or just wanting to access some advice and information from other women in the same situation.
Granton Youth Centre also runs relevant workshops for parents and carers of young people on topics that concern them, such as community safety, drugs and alcohol.
Parents and carers are welcome to come and chat to staff members if they have concerns about their children and want some advice, or information.