Youth Engagement:
In the summer of 2022 we worked with a number of schools, colleges and alternative education providers across Oldham to deliver a fun packed summer for 48 young people. The partner providers where:
- Blue Coat C of E School
- Co-op Academy Failsworth
- Crompton House CofE School
- E-Act Royton and Crompton Academy
- Kingsland School
- Oasis Academy Oldham
- Oldham College
We took 48 young people away on a residential to YHA Trafford Hall, where they completed numerous outdoor activities such as Rock Climbing, Abseiling, climbing up mount famoeu , as well as completing workshops and activities which upskilled them and helped develop and give an insight into the world of work, and have their voice heard.
They then came back to Boundary Park Stadium and created 3 social action projects, which they highlighted as a big need within the community in Oldham and needed to be addressed. These where mental health in the elderly – where the young people created care packages and dropped them off at care homes within the local community and went into a care home and spent the afternoon with the resident’s playing bingo, painting rocks and taking part in other activities. Another area was poverty in Oldham, with the cost-of-living crisis, they created a leaflet they handed out with ideas on for fun things to do with friends and family with little or no cost, and created an online quiz, where the public had to guess how much an outfit cost from the local charity, and the winner received a hamper. The final project was youth crime and violence, were the young people created videos and leaflets to hand out in Oldham town centre to education the local community.
This was all wrapped up with a celebration evening at Boundary Park to celebrate every ones achievements and hand out awards to staff and young people!
Secondary School Engagement.
We are and offer to our partner schools the Upskilling and education programme. This offer aims to support the school and students to re engage within the curriculum, and offer personal development opportunities through allowing them to gain skills for their next steps after year 11 and or year 12.
This offer is niche to every school, and can be adapted to meet the need of the school and their environment. It covers areas such as, careers and progression, money management, the cost of living crisis, university and apprenticeships, cover letter and CVS, interview skills, political engagement, youth crime and violence, health and well-being, mental health, just to name a few. If you want to know how you can be involved and have this programme delivered in your school, please contact holly.espie@oact.org.uk.
OACT Gamechangers:
Gamechangers allows young people to have an impact on their local community and beyond. It is open to 15 – 17 year olds who have a passion in helping their local community, and give them the opportunity to gain new skills, experience and new friends whilst making a positive change.
Some of the projects that the gamechangers have done are:
- Food poverty and food donations.
- Christmas parties and gifts for care home residents
- Cost of living awareness
- Youth Crime and violence awareness
- Christmas toy appeal
If you are interested in joining the gamechangers programme please email holly.espie@oact.org.uk