The Challenge

People

Success Stories

Candi Youth Café

A voice for the young

Older, bolder, healthier

A spate of problems involving young people in Cinderford led to the funding of a youth worker to spend six months talking to local youngsters to find a solution. Funding came from local town and parish councils, Gloucestershire County Council's Youth and Community Service and the then Rural Development Commission.

Developing the idea
A questionnaire asked young people what they wanted - an evening drop-in café headed their 'wish list'. Youth worker Sue Fellows brought together an initial working group of six young people who met weekly to discuss the way forward.

The Candi Youth Cafe in Cinderford

A run-down former sports shop in Market Street, Cinderford proved the ideal premises - the enthusiasm and vision of the young people overwhelmed initial adult reservations! Within a year, and with a great deal of help and support from the local community, the café was up and running.

Making it happen
The management dommittee of young people meet monthly and decide how the café is run, within budgets. Initially, it opened for four sessions a week with one full-time manager - who was interviewed by the young people - and six volunteers from the local church.

Additional funding led to six sessions a week and an assistant manager was employed. More space downstairs was opened with a pool table, TV and 'chill out' room - local people were generous with donations of fixtures, fittings and time.

Various charitable trusts as well as the county, district, town and parish councils all contributed relatively small amounts, but substantial funding was needed.

Major charities including Somerfield, Henry Smith, the Kensington Estate and John Paul Getty were approached and the former Training and Enterprise Council helped fund essential training for the manager and assistant.

The cafe provides a meeting place for young mums

A drop-in session is held weekly for young single mums aged 13 to 25 who had nowhere to go with their babies during the day.

They meet and support each other over coffee and tea - they swap clothes and toys and organise jumble sales, Christmas parties and summer outings for the children.

With funds from Comic Relief and the Government's Single Regeneration Budget, the café now has an information shop, signposting to advice and information on benefits, services, drug and alcohol problems, housing and relationships, school, college and careers.

It has also expanded upstairs with help from Community Service Volunteers and Young Gloucestershire.

Keeping it going
As a result of its success, the café project is involved in outreach work in outlying rural areas.

Funded by Ruspidge, Soudley and Drybrook Parish Councils and the Worshipful Weavers, two outreach workers were employed to organise weekly youth clubs and bring youngsters into Cinderford to access the support and services they need.

In addition, a National Lottery bid proved successful and the Market Street premises were bought outright and refurbishment is under way.

The future will include bidding for a music project and a dance project and setting up a cybercafé.

The gardens are to be developed for use in the summer for barbecues and as a play area for single mothers and their children.

The café is used by about 200 young people a week, with about 50 inquiries a month at the Information Shop.

Top tips

• Most important is that it is user-led with ownership by young people
• Make sure fundraising is ongoing (the Candi Project costs £86,000 a year to run)
• Get skilled at writing good 'begging letters' and filling in bid applications
• You need 'start-up' cash and revenue, a highly committed project leader and active supporters
• It's essential to keep the support of local councils, the press and the community
• A management committee must have a wide range of skills represented from local people - business, councillors, governors, police, social services, church
• Contact the Lions Club and local churches for volunteers
• Set up as a charity, company limited by guarantee
• Personalities of staff important regarding empathy with young people

Contact: Graham Spearman 01594 844563

Who can help?

Key organisations that could offer help and support in the development of your ideas. Their details can be found in the Contacts Directory. Further information on funding sources is available from Gloucestershire County Council's Economic Development Unit on 01452 425702.

Funding sources	Other useful contacts
Youth projects Charitable Trusts Children in Need Comic Relief District councils Gloucestershire County Council - Social Services - Youth and Community Gloucestershire Masonic Charitable Association Gloucestershire Rural Community Council (Rural Initiative Fund) National Lottery Funding Bodies - New Opportunities Fund Parish councils Single Regeneration Budget	Age Concern Business in the Community Colleges Connexions Crossroads Diocese of Gloucester Disability Action Group District councils Environmental Health Planning Fair Shares Families and Children's Information Service (FACS) Foyer Federation GloFYSH Gloucestershire Association for Mental Health Princes Trust (Business)	Gloucestershire County Council Adult Continuing Education & Training service Early Years Development Childcare Partnership Gloucestershire Drug and Alcohol Advice Service Gloucestershire Media Gloucestershire Neighbourhood Projects Network Gloucestershire Rural Transport Partnership Health and Safety Executive Parent and Teacher Associations Police Neighbourhood Inspectors Rural Beat Officers Women's Institute Young Gloucestershire