Boys Clubhouse:
Offers help to a growing number of boys who have opted out of school, college and have become separated from their family. They are on the slippery slope to petty crime, disillusionment, sleeping rough, drug addiction, gambling, sexual health risks and crime. Sometimes they have unrealistic expectations in life or view happiness as only being achievable through material gain.
Clients at the Boys Clubhouse benefit from the following services:
Vocational Training
The Clubhouse offers teenage boys a range of training opportunities, giving them at the same time as vocational training and other learning the life skills needed to obtain and retain a job. Training given is varied according to a boy’s interests, talents and abilities. Certificated courses have included European Driving Licence, CST Self-defence and a range of computer based programmes of study including the A+ computer engineering course.
Most successful have been our web design and graphic design training programs started in November 2001 with thirteen students. Students typically entered the course with no previous IT skills and in many cases without having finished their basic school education.
It achieved amazing results and many of the students have gone on to receive accreditation for courses attended, progress into further education, entry into the world of work and in some cases development of their own business enterprises.
Success in this project is attributable to the dedicated, client based one on one support offered, which includes therapy, mentoring and career guidance.
Careers advice
This service is open to any Clubhouse client and has helped over 100 teenagers enabling them to obtain jobs and to advance their career.
It encourages boys to produce their own CV’s and provides tips and guidance for job interviews. It also teaches young people how to interact appropriately in a job environment and co-operate with their work colleagues.
Work experience
We help young people get a taste of the world of work by finding them work placements. Sometimes the results of the experience are so successful that the young person is engaged full time.
Therapy
The in-house therapist sees the clients on a weekly basis. This covers 45 clients over the course of a year providing emotional and behavioural advice as well as monitoring any problems or progress.
Activities / Group Therapy
These activities which are open to all, include
Weekly activities: include eating out together, tenpin bowling and The Clubhouse Football League.
Periodic trips to places such as - Big Ben, meeting the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street, visiting the control room at Scotland Yard where all 999 calls in London are taken and funfairs.
Monthly Activities are far more exciting and include Quasar shooting and paintball shooting.
Once in a lifetime activities. In 2002 this was a week in log cabins in upper New York State (Lake George); 2003 New York State, The Catskills; 2004 a four day break in Wales; 2004 pre-Yeshiva Israel trip
Mentoring
Each client is appointed a mature responsible adult that acts as a personal mentor. The mentor provides general support on matters such as lifestyles, basic health, and family/community reintegration.
Of particular note is our use of peer mentors. These facilitators have, through The Clubhouse support, made successful transitions in life. They are keen to help others; just as they were helped themselves
Sheltered and emergency housing
On occasions we will arrange temporary emergency accommodation for clients. We will always move them to permanent housing – usually back to their parental home if appropriate. Where no return to home possibility available we place young people in their own accommodation, arranging all appropriate benefits and helping with finance where needed. We keep close supervision on clients helping them engage in education, work or both. Most clients in this category are over 16 years old.
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