Helping young people access training and skills

31st March 2016

Surrey Young People’s Fund

A grant from our Surrey Young People’s Fund of £267 to Fiona*, 22 supported her travel costs to attend training in the textile industry. Fiona has struggled to find employment since leaving education in July 2014. This grant supported her travel costs to attend an unpaid internship at a knitwear factory.

Whilst working at the factory her employer saw Fiona’s potential and has suggested training her as a production manager. Fiona has now started on the path to full employment and although she is still on a zero-hours contract she is happy in her current position, feels secure in her job and hopes to continue working for the company to gain further experience in the industry.

Fiona explains:

“It really helped to have that financial support to travel in every day and as a result I have made a lot of progress within the company and gained invaluable experience… I am very grateful… Thank you for your help.”

The Surrey Young People’s Fund aims to support disadvantaged young people in Surrey to gain access to training and employment. Grants are awarded by a panel of experienced volunteers who have a passion for assisting young people in Surrey improve their employment prospects.

Grants support individuals aged 16-25 at the time of application who are resident in Surrey and show the motivation to achieve their goals. Feedback is required after any grant is awarded.

Applicants should to be in one of the following four target groups:

  • Unemployed (working less than 16 hours per week)
  • Those who are struggling at school and/or have achieved less than 5 GCSEs at grades A-C
  • Offenders and ex-offenders
  • Young people in or leaving care

Grants from the Surrey Young People’s Fund will typically be between £50 and £200 and can fund items directly related to enhance the young person’s employability skills.

*Not real name.

Supporting communities to capture local history

Memory Tree

A grant of £500 from the Tandridge Community Fund supported the installation of a Memory Tree at the Caterham Festival 2015.The Caterham Memory Tree, a sound art sculpture and oral history archive project, was the brainchild of local award winning classical musician and sound artist Julie Groves.

Exhibited at St Lawrence’s Ancient Church throughout the first ten days of June the project collected, preserved and shared over 300 memory sound clips with visitors in a soundscape which lasted over two hours and emanated from ‘fruits’ in the Tree.

“What a joy – really touching and beautiful how the voices fade in and out as you pass along and around the tree finding another voice to listen to.”

The project encouraged shared community conversation and dialogue of shared local memories between people of all ages. The Memory Tree provided an interactive and dynamic way for these oral histories, which would otherwise fade over time, to be preserved and shared in an accessible way. See more photos of the project here.

Julie explains, “When a group meets for recordings, three times as many people engage in chat about the local area and history as actually record their memories. A number of elderly and more isolated residents have been visibly moved and affected by the opportunity of spending 30 minutes recollecting their personal memories with another person who considers them valuable and worth recording.”

The project played a central role in the Caterham Festival 2015 engaging people of all ages in local history and memory. There were over 600 visitors to the installation – some of whom left touching comments in a visitor’s book, of which a selection are shared below;

“So good to learn so much about Caterham – a great project – my dad was a contributor which means his and other people’s memories will carry on through the years!”

“What a wonderfully atmospheric way to hold people’s memories and share them.”

“This is fab – nothing like I imagined but totally better and amazing. What a wonderful way to preserve local history and make it accessible to so many people. Incredibly thoughtful – love it!”

“I found out things today mum has never told me before! Brilliant.”

“Well done Julie – brought back many memories and wonderful to hear other people’s memories. Learnt a lot about Caterham – wonderful personal stories.”

Horsleys Community Fund supports the village’s war veterans

On 11th November the Horsleys Community Fund supported the 7th Annual Remembrance Day Veterans Lunch held in the barn of the Barley Mow. The local fund panel were delighted to continue this tradition established by the Lady Noel Byron Trust.

30 people attended including 15 veterans who, with their family and other supporters filled the barn which had been suitably decked out with flags and bunting.

There was a special presentation to Ron Hancock and Ian Stemson from the British Legion and the proceeds of a well supported raffle will be given to the British Legion. A meal and a glass of wine was enjoyed by all and we hope to continue for some years yet.

Find out more about the Horsleys Community Fund and view their latest e-news bulletin here.

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