Yoga for teenagers is a project aimed at young people, run by TDC’s Caroline Vitta. The sessions run every Tuesday at Moulsecoomb Leisure centre 4pm till 5pm. We are currently over half way through the 10 week period having started at the end of April.
Yoga is a Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline where it focuses on breathing control, simple meditation and the adaptation of a variety of different movements and postures with the body. Yoga is very often used as a relaxation technique and sometimes even for health purposes with improving emotional and mental health.
The sessions have proved very successful and over 20 young people have attended at least two or three sessions so far. Most of these young people have never actually tried Yoga before so it is their first time giving it a go. The sessions aim to help improve an individual’s emotional and mental well-being, flexibility and sleep. As well as this yoga can also help with stress and anxiety. The exercises involved are straightforward and simple to do so that anyone can really give it a try. Any young person is welcome whether they have experience or not, you can simply drop in at any of the weeks within the 10 week period and join in.
Yoga for teenagers runs until the end of June. If you want to give it a go or have a child who might be interested then contact Caroline Vitta on 07481896892 or if you’d prefer you can message Caroline via Facebook at Caroline TDC Youth Worker to find out lots more information on the Yoga for Teenagers Project.
In collaboration with the Community Buildings Network, TDC are delighted to have been awarded a grant from the Council’s Communities Fund to help future-proof community buildings across the City.
The Community Buildings Network brings together people who manage community buildings across the city. TDC have been working with the Community Buildings Network for the past couple of years and they support over 150 community groups to find funding and run smoothly.
Some of the attendees at a recent Community Buildings Network meeting.
Future-proofing our Community Buildings
The Network has identified the need for investment in community buildings. Members are struggling with
increased business rate levels,
reduced rental income from public sector teams hiring office space,
a desire to be greener,
increased need for community hire to bring in income,
local communities that have less income themselves,
increased competition for grant programmes to raise funding
greater expectation to work in partnerships to access funding.
We know it’s getting harder to fundraise and this changing economic environment requires community buildings to adapt to thrive.
What support is available to those who manage Community Buildings?
Do you manage a community building in Brighton and Hove?
Would like some support in setting priorities
Do you want some advice about how to meet your aims?
We’re offering supportive health checks for Network members to review strengths and weaknesses, identify priorities and develop a mini-action plan. There are a limited number of checks available so get in touch if you’re interested.
And in the Autumn, we’ll be running a series of events with expert advice and joint working to solve common issues. These will finish with a celebration event in February drawing all the learning from the health checks, the events as well as from three demonstration projects that are running alongside this work.
You might be interested in fundraising, how to organise urgent maintenance, making sure your building complies with health and safety standards, tackling heating repairs, publicising and marketing to increase bookings, writing a business plan, budget planning, or improving web presence and setting up on-line bookings. Just let us know what’s most important to you.
The next Community Buildings Network meeting will take place on August 14th at 2.30pm at Cornerstone Community Centre. Contact us to register your interest in this ir any more of our informative events, let us know what you would like covered and we will send you a programme with more details.
At the end of the project, community buildings will be more sustainable, better used and a stronger community resource for everyone.
And to find out more about the Community Buildings Network and to join for free go to https://www.bhcbn.org.uk/ or call the chair, Ann Tizzard on 01273 414483 or email pat.[email protected]
On Wednesday 25th April, TDC hosted a Neighbourhood Action Planning event at Dorset Gardens Methodist Church for local people to come along and talk to various organisations about the future of the Eastern Road Area
Local residents were encouraged to connect with local services as well as looking at proposed plans for the area and having their say.
Events like this form an important part of TDC’s ongoing work with communities and public services across the city.
Read more about our community development work in the city and have a look at some pictures of the event below.
Dementia Action Week 2018 will take place on 21st – 27th May.
An initiative of The Alzheimer’s Society, the annual event encourages people to improve the lives of people affected by dementia and this year sees a change from it being called Dementia Awareness Week to Dementia Action Week.
During the week people across the UK will be asked to unite and take actions – large and small – that will make everyday life better for people affected by dementia. Whether this is taking the time to reach out to someone with dementia for a chat, or rallying your local community to clean up a park to make it more dementia-friendly – every action makes a difference.
Sue Sayers, our Senior Community Participation Worker with older people has been playing a big part in making our city of Brighton & Hove a friendlier place for those affected by Dementia. Her work has included developing a Dementia Friendly Toolkit for organisations to refer to and collaborating with other charities across the city as part of the Brighton & Hove Dementia Action Alliance. Sue is also an accredited Dementia Friends Champion – delivering training to help raise awareness and allow people to become “Dementia Friends”. Sue had already made 215 Dementia Friends when she was presented with her certificate (see below) back in February and the number is growing every week. At the time of writing her count stands at 230 – contributing to the figure of over 2.4m Dementia Friends nationwide. The Alzheimer’s Society are aiming to have made 4 million Dementia Friends by the end of 2020.
Sue told us about some of her recent work, saying “I am busy revising our Dementia Resource leaflet to make it bigger and better, up-to-date and comprehensive.
On Tuesday 15th May I am at the British Airways i360 giving staff the opportunity to become Dementia Friends and to pledge to take action themselves, and on the 24th May I will be helping Churches in Hove to become Dementia Friendly.”
If you can get together a group of friends or a staff group and would like Sue to come along and hold a Dementia friends awareness session please get in touch on 07412 709 310 or by e-mail [email protected]
Congratulations to the thirteen learners who received their Level 2 and 3 accredited certificates for the Working in C-ODE course in April.
Woking in C -ODE is our shorthand for a year long course, about Working in Community Organisations, Development and Engagement. It grew out of the WICO (Working in Community Organisation Course) that TDC has been running for many years.
Through the course we covered community development values and principles like self-determination, where people are free to choose their own actions.
We explored inequality, social justice and diversity and discussed TED talk clips like Yassmin Abdel-Magied’s ‘What does my headscarf mean to you’.
We looked at community group development and dynamics, which included learning all about how the chairs in a room can change the power balance in a meeting. The group also found out about assessing community assets and needs, and explored lots of creative ways for communities to identify the strengths they have.
Everyone chose an optional unit and had time to delve into what they were interested in, like running a community project or a campaign or raising funding for community activities.
We would like to say a big congratulations and very well done to all the learners on the course
By Ratna Jan Bibi, Community Development Worker, Black & Minority Ethnic Communities (Wellbeing).
On Wednesday 18th April TDC celebrated A Way A Day – a multicultural health and wellbeing event which was open to Brighton & Hove residents from minority ethnic backgrounds. This was a free and open event, designed to be celebratory, informative and engaging.
The family friendly event was held at the BMECP with activities, board games, music, practical advice and information on offer. The event was attended by around 400 people, and there were 36 stallholders representing statutory, voluntary and community groups and organisations. Visitors were able to discover local community events and services in their area and were encouraged to try out new ways of improving their health and wellbeing. The majority of the stallholders delivered some sort of activity or points of engagement to create a relaxed atmosphere, and encourage interaction between attendees and stallholders. The activities created synergy between the stallholders and event attendees, each table was a hub of curiosity and activity, enticing people to take part and talk to stallholders about services they provided.
Overall it was a family event and an opportunity for all ethnicities across the city to come together and integrate whilst enjoying and learning about healthy activities and services in the city, including how to access practical advice, information, help and support. At the event visitors were able to discover local community groups and services and were encouraged to try out new ways of improving their health and wellbeing.
We had some great feedback from attendees, with one saying “We need more events like this that unites Brighton’s diverse communities and celebrates our culture” and another telling us “Fantastic event! I’ve never seen the BMECP so busy before. You brought everybody together.”
92% of the event attendees said that the ‘event improved their sense of wellbeing’. Bringing together Brighton’s diverse communities through events like A Way A Day contributes to wellbeing, reduces isolation, improves social connections and encourages community integration.
Have a look at some pictures of the event below and find out more about TDC’s work with diverse communities.
TDCs Community Development Worker, and prolific marathon runner, Cal Chester is helping support Brighton based ADHD aware group with their upcoming Family, Friends & Carers event, which will take place on Wednesday the 27th of June at the Brighthelm Centre.
ADHD aware are holding this free to attend evening for partners, parents and other family members, carers and friends of people living with ADHD. This event will be a great opportunity to share your experiences and find mutual support from others in a similar position.
ADHD Aware is a small organisation based in Brighton, run by volunteers supporting adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
The group invites you to come along to the Brighthelm Centre (North Road, BN1 1YD) on Wednesday between 7pm and 9pm, where there will be discussions, information and refreshments (including cake!)
On Tuesday 24th April TDC attended a Community Grants drop-in hosted by East Brighton Trust at Brighton’s community pub The Bevy.
Aimed at local people wanting to make a positive difference in their community, the event offered free advice and support with a variety of organisations in attendance.
Attendees had the opportunity to talk to East Brighton Trust and Sussex Community Foundation in person to ask about funding for their groups or ideas as well as finding out what organisations like The Resource Centre can offer in terms of support. Other groups such as Strike A Light and the Wellspring Lightbulb project were also on hand to tell local people about the services they offer.
Members of TDC’s Community Development and Youth teams enjoyed speaking to lots of people from the Moulsecoomb and Bevendean area, pointing them in the direction of relevant free advice and resources which might help their groups to thrive.
To find out more about the work of East Brighton Trust, head to their website or follow them on facebook or twitter.
This Sunday after months of training, TDC Community Development Support Worker Cal Chester is running the 2018 Brighton Marathon in support of ADHD Aware – a Brighton based organisation of volunteers committed to supporting adults living with ADHD.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a group of behavioural symptoms that include inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness. ADHD Aware’s support group meetings provide a safe space for hundreds of local people and have helped countless numbers get a diagnosis. Many of these people would have had nowhere else to turn to and ADHD Aware continues to give invaluable support by sharing their in depth knowledge and experience of ADHD and a space for people to meet.
The group is 100% volunteer led and any size donation you could make would be a great support to the work they do and would help them to reach out to many more people.
Your donations can help ADHD Aware fund the costs of things such as:
Support group meeting room hire (each drop-in meeting costs over £90)
Volunteer expenses (bus travel, parking, morale boosting cups of tea)
Text reminders (costs over £20 a month)
Facilitator costs (up to £90 per meeting)
Promotional materials.
Any funds raised will help enormously and spur Cal on through the gruelling 26 miles around the city.
Cal in his ADHD Aware T-Shirt – he will be running the Brighton marathon to raise funds for the charity.
Volunteer with ADHD Aware
TDC has been supporting ADHD Aware as they develop and grow through our flexible citywide work.
ADHD Aware is a Brighton based organisation whose aim is to support adults living with ADHD. The charity helps people live happier lives and get access to the numerous services made available to people with ADHD, so they can function and thrive with their neurodiversity.
They do this by planning, fundraising and organising a monthly peer group drop-in and focus group sessions, signposting and information, responding to e-mails and social media.
Everyone at ADHD Aware is a volunteer and they are always looking for interested people to get involved, either on their committee or with other activities. For more information please check out the volunteering page on their website and if you are interested do please get in touch with them directly at [email protected]
Events in 2018 – If you are a parent, carer, friend or partner of someone living with ADHD the charity is also looking to support you through a peer group event to be organised in 2018 – further information will appear on the ADHD Aware website shortly.
As a part of TDC’s youth work, we are proud members of the Brighton and Hove Youth Collective – a partnership working across Brighton & Hove. Working as a collective allows us to share best practices and resources so that we can strategically address the needs of young people in the city.
For those of you who haven’t heard of the collective before, our digital apprentice Elle has written a handy introduction to tell you what it is and who is involved…
The Brighton and Hove Youth Collective is the place where young people can find out what Youth events and sessions are going on in their local area across Brighton and Hove. The Brighton and Hove Youth Collective is made up of 7 well known youth charities and organisations. These are:
The Brighton Youth Centre is a youth centre that provides a number of activities, sessions and events for young people. Activities include skateboarding, the youth club, football, basketball and many more.
The Deans Youth Project works with young people from the Woodingdean, Rottingdean and Saltdean area. They have a youth centre on Warren Road with an indoor sports court which supports activities and youth club sessions throughout the week.
The Hangleton and Knoll Project is based in the west of the city and has been established for over 30 years. The youth and community development organisation offers 11 to 25 year olds activities, events and trips.
The Tarner Community Project is based in the heart of Brighton and offers a wide range of activities for young people including a club which offers different sorts of activities and sessions every weekday.
TDC is a charity which helps people of all ages to establish their community priorities and then meet them. The youth team supports young people to form and run their own groups, to find ways to communicate what they need and to raise funds for their own activities.
The YMCA Downslink Group based in Brighton is there to support young people with a number of services, for example they can help a young person with housing e.g. emergency accommodation. As well as this they offer counselling to help an individual young person’s health and wellbeing as well as training courses and education.
The Young People’s Centre is a safe space where young people between 13 and 25 can go to a number of sessions such as Global Social. They are able to get affordable meals and free condoms via the C Card scheme, as well as access to low-cost counselling and life coaching.
The Brighton & Hove Youth Collective is also partnered with these three equalities organisations:
Yoga for Teenagers is an exciting new project to introduce yoga to young people in Brighton. An initiative of our youth team, the group will be promoting the benefits of yoga–the physical benefits of increasing strength, flexibility and balance but more importantly the other benefits to well-being such as helping to manage anxiety, stress, giving better sleep, improving self-esteem and self-body image
The 10 week project will have the fantastic Laura Clark teaching the class with the support of a youth worker who can give any additional support needed. Laura has lots of ideas on how to make the classes fun and engaging for young people. There is sure to be a variety of postures and relaxation as would be expected but also lots of laughter is anticipated too. The project is due to start at Moulsecoomb Leisure Centre on the 24th April, 4-5pm and will run for 10 weeks. Any young people who want to have a go can just turn up and complete a short registration form. The sessions are run as a drop in so young people can join the classes at any point during the programme
The project is a great partnership between the Brighton Yoga Foundation and the Trust for Developing Communities. Joining us in this partnership is Freedom Leisure who are providing the space for the classes. Funding for the project has come from the Robert Eaton Memorial Fund and Brighton City Council.
Every Wednesday morning between 10 and 11am, many Hollingdean residents participate in a community yoga class at Hollingdean Community Centre.
The Hollingdean Yoga Group has been running for over 10 years, with a team of volunteers organising the weekly sessions. The initial idea was to set up a low-cost, inclusive yoga class for people with very small incomes, many of whom would drop their children off at school and wanted an hour to themselves afterwards to do some exercise. The group received a few small grants when it first started, but now relies on subs from participants to fund the cost of hiring the hall and paying the teacher.
The yoga teacher, Kizzy, teaches a Scaravelli-inspired form of yoga which is suitable for all levels and makes it accessible to anyone. As committee member Mary says “it’s always been like that” to appeal to as many local people as possible – “We’ve had local residents, students and OAPS joining in. The first lesson is free, so people should come along and try it. After that, lessons are on a drop-in basis so there’s no commitment”
“What’s different from other yoga lessons is that this is a community class”, says Enza, treasurer of the group. “It only costs £6 per session, or £4.50 if you’re not working. It’s a shame more people don’t come as it’s really cheap.”
Julia, a participant, lives just around the corner. She used to do a lot of yoga but says “after getting a bit out of shape, I was looking for a way to start yoga again. This class was exactly what I needed, it’s very gentle.” As well as that she highlights some of the other benefits of the class “The people are nice, and it’s local – much easier to come here than drive all the way into town”
Another participant, Charlotte, spoke about how the class has helped her cope with a long-term health condition. “I became ill with Chronic Fatigue and related conditions which meant my life became reduced. I wasn’t able to go the the yoga classes I’d attended before, and I started coming to this class about 2 years ago. For me personally it’s been a godsend – so nice and gentle, and even if I can only manage 3 or 4 postures per class I can still feel the benefits. It’s really important – nowadays we’re always striving to look a particular way, but this yoga class teaches you to get inside your body and be in touch with yourself. It’s accessible for people who might have different health conditions”
And as the group put it themselves on their facebook page: “The Hollingdean Yoga Group provides a valuable social focus in the lives of residents in the local neighbourhood. Many who are excluded from opportunities to participate in mainstream activities due to health, age, accessibility, transport and socio-economic background. Regular participants feel that classes are part of their life and integral in maintaining their physical and mental wellbeing. The weekly visit to Hollingdean Community Centre, also provides an opportunity to find out what is going on and meet people.”
TDC’s Community Development Worker Ceza, who is based at the community centre) helped the group apply for recent funding which went towards a set of bolsters to help with the postures – this came from the Healthy Neighbourhood Fund via the Hollingdean Development Trust. He also set up a facebook page to promote the group and offered support during a recent time of transition. At the moment his contribution lies in trying to help them find new members and reinvigorate the group that current members have been working so hard to build over the years. He says “It’s really not just a yoga class, it’s a community group”. Ceza is offering similar support to other local groups, such as the Holly Hips fitness group.
The group takes place at Hollingdean Community Centre, 10-11am every Wednesday. For more information, look up the Hollingdean Yoga Group on facebook.
