Youth Acton Wiltshire (YAW) is an award winning charity service provided by Community First and dedicated to supporting young people aged 5-25 years. Today we work with a vibrant network of over 70 youth clubs and work with young people in all their brilliant diversity, giving support to some of the most disadvantaged, isolated and vulnerable young people in Wiltshire and Swindon, providing social and developmental activities to help improve their physical and mental health.

With over sixty years experience working at the forefront of youth support and development services, YAW has established a reputation for expertise, care and innovation in the development and delivery of specialist services that help those young people in most need.

YAW provides a range of services for young carers who have significant caring responsibilities for a seriously ill or disabled family member. There are an estimated 2000 Young Carers in Wiltshire and YAW provides dedicated, expert support and care to ensure that all its Young Carers are able to meet and overcome the challenges they face.

Our Youth Club and Activities services focuses on young people and communities many situated in rural areas who are disadvantaged by having restricted opportunities or access to leisure and social activities.  YAW works with local communities to help establish local youth and activity clubs, to train local people to manage the clubs and to provide a range of activity programmes including sports, crafts, drama and adventure weekends.  YAW now provides its support and activity services to over 70 clubs across Wiltshire and Swindon.

NEWS

22 January 2010

Please help us to raise money for the Young Carers service by giving us your unwanted

- Clothes
- Bags
- Shoes (in pairs)
- Hats
- Belts

Please do not give us unwanted household items as we cannot use them and have to throw them away.  

We are aiming to collect 500 bags full of the above before July 2010 and we have already collected in 114 bags!

We have empty bags available for filling in the front lobby of Wyndhams, or alternatively you can fill any plastic bag from home.  These can be delivered straight back to us in Devizes or if you are able to collect 8 or more bags (by joining up with neighbours, friends etc) we can arrange to collect them from you directly when we are in your area (within Wiltshire only).

Please help us reach our target and help us to re-use, reduce and re-cycle.  If you know of any community group (e.g. Lions club, Rotary, Schools or Guides etc) that may be prepared to help us then please, please ask them nicely and put us in touch.

Please contact Victoria for further details

victoria@youthactionwiltshire.org

01380 720671 or 07976 942663

15 January 2010
MBE for Community First Committee Member

Youth Action Wiltshire committee member Ginnie Keen has been awarded MBE in the Queen's New Year's honours for services to the community in Wiltshire.

Ginnie's amazing energy and continuous fundraising for Youth Action Wiltshire has supported and helped to develop the services offered to young people by Community First.

The MBE is well deserved recognition for all of Ginnie's efforts.