Action4Youth has received a £1,000 grant from Aylesbury Town Council to support its mentoring work with young people in Aylesbury.
The funding will help to support project costs including a mentor and approximately 12 one to one sessions to up to 70 young people in Aylesbury.
The funding will help Action4Youth provide personalised support for young people who may be experiencing challenges at school, at home or in their wider lives.
Through regular one-to-one sessions, Action4Youth’s youth mentors give young people a safe and supportive space to talk, reflect and work towards their own goals. The programme helps young people build confidence, strengthen their resilience and develop the skills they need to make positive choices.
Representatives from Aylesbury Town Council visited Action4Youth’s offices in Aylesbury on Tuesday 11th August to present the grant and learn more about the charity’s mentoring work.
Benedicta Morrow, CEO of Action4Youth, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Aylesbury Town Council for supporting our mentoring work with young people.
“For a young person who is struggling, having a consistent and trusted adult who listens to them can make a significant difference. Mentoring provides the time and space for young people to talk openly, recognise their strengths and begin to approach the challenges they face with greater confidence.
“This grant will help us continue providing that early, individual support before difficulties escalate and ensure more young people know that they do not have to navigate those challenges alone.”
Action4Youth mentors work alongside each young person to identify what matters to them and what they would like to change or achieve. Sessions are shaped around their individual circumstances and may explore confidence, relationships, education, wellbeing, decision-making and future aspirations.
Holly Meek, Youth Mentor – Aylesbury Vale and Milton Keynes at Action4Youth, said: “Mentoring is not about telling a young person what to do. It is about giving them a consistent space where they feel heard, respected and able to be themselves.
“Over time, we often see young people become more willing to talk about what is happening in their lives, recognise the progress they are making and feel more confident about taking their next steps.
“This funding will help us spend that valuable one-to-one time with young people, building relationships and supporting them to work towards goals that are meaningful to them.”
Cllr Ashley Morgan, Chair of Grants at Aylesbury Town Council, said: “Aylesbury Town Council is here to support and strengthen our local community, and our grants programme is one way we can help organisations such as Action4Youth make a real difference to people’s lives.
“This grant will support mentoring for young people in Aylesbury, helping to improve their social and emotional wellbeing and giving them support when they may be struggling. By funding organisations that are already working directly with local people, we can help that positive impact reach further across the community.
“For me, being Chair of Grants is about helping people who are helping others. It is really rewarding to know that, through grants like this, we are directly supporting residents and investing in the wellbeing of the Aylesbury community.”
The grant forms part of Aylesbury Town Council’s support for local organisations and initiatives that benefit residents and strengthen the community.
Find out more about The Mentoring Programme.
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