The Yard - Home

Our youth clubs, for young people age 12-18, operate three evenings per week all year round. Currently funded by a BBC Children in Need Fun and Friendship grant, two of the clubs are for young men and women while the third is exclusively for young women and run by female staff only.

The dynamic of each club varies greatly but at their core they all build upon the adventure play origins of the playground, offering risk and challenge alongside fun and friendship and new experiences and opportunities to develop independence and social skills.

Art and craft activities, cooking, baking and home-cinema nights take place in-house while trips out have been as diverse as underground ghost tours, power-boat trips around Bass Rock and visits to restaurants.

For young people dealing not only with adolescence but also additional support needs, our youth clubs offer a valued route away from the risks of social exclusion and over reliance on support from parents and carers.

Part funded by the Short Breaks Fund.

The Short Breaks funded Saturday evening provision for young people age 18-25 launched in 2011 and has proven to be a great success.

For young people dealing with the transition to adulthood a support network of peers is invaluable. Our weekly club for young people entering adulthood offers a safe, relaxing environment where young people can be themselves and develop independence but with the support of trained and empathic staff.

The Yard becomes a focal point for friendships which grow much wider than the confines of the playground and young people, their parents and carers all tell us about increased confidence and interests which have grown out of attending the Saturday club.

Having had time to gel as a group, the young people are now venturing out with the confines of the playground and planning their own activities and trips with the support of staff.