SENGHENYDD YOUTH DROP IN CENTRE
The Senghenydd Youth Drop In Centre (SYDIC) is a charitable status company limited by guarantee set up in 1997 to listen to, engage with, encourage and help the young people aged 11-25 years of the Aber Valley to make positive contributions to their community.
The centre offers a wide range of services and activities for young people 12 hours a day most days of the week. These include;
- An appropriate curriculum service to excluded school age pupils of local schools
- Drop-In facilities for 11-17 year olds, to identify individual or group problem areas and provide positive workable solutions
- Out of School hours activities (youth club activities, homework club, IT and computer gaming, environmental group, healthy living & fitness, etc)
- Leisure activities and pastimes for disengaged young people
- In partnership with local statutory services provide educational/careers guidance
- Provide a contact point for local agencies that provide support for young people
- Drugs and alcohol advice guidance and support
- Counselling support for young people including signposting to partner organisations
- C-Card (condom provision) in the worst area for teenage pregnancy in Europe for 14years+ (also signposting for under 14’s requiring help and support)
- Performance and visual arts and Crafts including dance, music, pottery, painting, printing, woodcrafts, story writing, poetry etc
- Holiday time activities and projects for young people including summer schemes, fetes, fares and carnivals
- Democratically elected Youth Committee who take an active part in the running of the centre
- Opportunities for members to be part of planning and delivering the community action plan including participation in community events and activities
- Resources, help, advice and guidance for older members 17-25year including work experience and a Millennium Volunteer programme
At present SYDIC chairs the Voluntary Sectors Young Persons Network and has membership of the CCBC Young Persons Forum and the Wales Assembly Governments Funky Dragon Forum through our active democratically elected youth committee including an elected Youth Director who sits on the SYDIC board of trustees.
The provision is highly thought of locally and across the borough and has been flagged up as a best practice organisation working with young people, in fact SYDIC was the first youth organisation in the borough to receive the Children and Young Peoples Partnership Quality Mark.
SYDIC is a valued active member of the Local Communities First Partnership, The Caerphilly Children and Youth Partnership.
We have developed partnerships to allow young people to develop links with Local Health Board, The Police, Local Schools, Colleges, and many departments of the Local Council, along with other voluntary sector groups such as GAVO, Groundwork, SALT, Undercurrents etc.
At present funded by The Welsh Assembly Governments Community First Programme we have over two hundred registered members and are the second largest employer in the Aber Valley.
If you would like more information on SYDIC then Please contact us for more information.