Spring 2008 Newsletter

Raffle

We are currently holding a fundraising raffle to raise funds to take the young people on an outing in the summer on the Seagull Trust Barge Trip at Ratho.  Prizes include a return family scot rail pass for 2 adults and 2 children between any 2 railway stations in Scotland, a family pass for the Royal Yacht Britannia, a £10 gift voucher for Dobbies and much much more!!!  Therefore, please find enclosed a book of raffle tickets worth £10, which we would be extremely grateful for your help in selling.  We will draw the raffle the week commencing 28^th April 2008.

Drama Performances

As you will all be aware the young people have been eagerly putting together a drama performance over the past 3 months, and we would like to invite you to come along and see their performances.  The Monday night group will be holding their performance on Monday 28^th April 2008 at 8pm in the Youth Club, and the Thursday night group will be holding their performance on Thursday 1^st May 2008 at 8pm in the Youth Club.  We would be eternally grateful if as many of you as possible could come along and support the young people, as they have been working extremely hard putting these productions together.

Barge Trip

We are hoping to take the young people on the Seagull Trust Barge Trip for their summer outing along the canal at Ratho.  It is proposed that the Monday night members will go on Saturday 21^st June 2008, leaving the  Pennypit Centre at 10am, returning for approximately 4pm, and the Thursday night group will go the following Saturday on 28^th June 2008, once again leaving the Pennypit Centre at 10am, and returning for approximately 4pm.  Please note that due to these excursions, there will be no Youth Club’s on Monday 23^rd June or Thursday 26^th June.

Duke of Edinburgh Award

There are several young people currently taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme within the Youth Club.  In order to complete the expedition part of the Award, the young people must prepare for an expedition and carry out an expedition.

All planning and preparation for the expedition will be carried out during Youth Club times, but the following has been arranged which, unfortunately has to take place out with the Youth Club times;

Sunday 25^th May – Depart Pennypit Centre at 9am, returning to Centre at 5 pm – Expedition training.

Sunday 29^th June – Depart Pennypit Centre at 9am, returning to Centre at 5pm – Expedition training.

Wednesday 9^th July – 7-9pm, Pennypit Centre, Final preparation and planning.

Monday 14^th July – Tuesday 15^th July – Duke of Edinburgh Expedition (staying overnight at innerwick outdoor Education Centre) – times to be confirmed.

Café Project

As many of you will now be aware, the Youth Club has recently been given permission to open the Café within the Pennypit Centre Monday – Friday from 10am-4pm.  This project will be open to young people with additional support needs to gain work experience of working within a café setting.  Unfortunately, due to the size of the café there will be limited training positions available, and at the present moment, we think that there will only be 4 positions available at any one time.

The young people who participate in the project will be given a full time training post working 4 days out of 5 within the café, under the supervision of a mentor and café assistant, and then going on work placement one day a week.

We are currently still in the early stages of putting this project together, but it is hoped to have this up and running by August/September of this year. 

Holidays

Well, can you believe it we’re talking about summer holidays already!!!  Anyway, the last day for the Monday group prior to the summer holidays is Monday 16^th June 2008, with their trip on the Barge being Saturday 21^st June, and the last night for the Thursday night group will be Thursday 19^th June, with their trip on the Barge being Saturday 28^th June.  We re-open after the summer on Monday 18^th August 2008.

Website

Please note all information regarding the Youth Club can also be found on our website – www.psnyc.co.uk.

Girls on the move

Are you female aged between 15-24 with additional support needs, and reside in the East Lothian area?
If so, then you could become part of this exciting new project due to commence in April at the Pennypit Centre in Prestonpans.
Girls on the Move will run on a Saturday morning, and will provide  taster sessions in various forms of exercise. The initial group will last for 10 weeks. 
If you are interested in a place, please contact Jackie Munro on 07904964501.       View the poster click here

Fees

Due to staffing demands, we would be extremely grateful to everyone if they could possibly pay fees in advance.  This takes care of a number of issues that we have recently been encountering in the club, namely;

1. Youths losing money, and not being able to pay fees.
2. Confusion over what money is for fees and what is for tuck shop!!

Also, by paying fees in advance means that staff can be freed up to work with the young people as opposed to dealing with the writing up of fees, and carrying out cashing procedures for the fees.  Your help in this matter is greatly appreciated.

Currently the fees are £2.50 per night, and the following monthly fees apply;

April £10   

May £10   

June £7.50

Or if you wish to pay for the full term, £27.50 would be payable.

Please also note that no fees should be given to volunteers within the Youth Club that any money being given into the Youth Club should be given to a member of staff, i.e. Jackie (Manager), Caroline, Sam or Leona (Youth Workers).

Contact Details

If you wish to contact the Club, please call Jackie Munro (Manager) on 07904964501, or alternative leave a message at the Pennypit Centre on 01875 819635 and we will return your call as soon as possible.

munrojacqueline@aol.com

www.psnyc.co.uk