RISKY BUSINESS
Our Risky Business Peer Mentoring project is funded by the Big Lottery Community Fund and provides disadvantaged and vulnerable young people aged 11 – 25 in Flintshire and Wrexham with a weekly programme of activities. The project helps young people to develop confidence, make a positive contribution to the community, become a peer mentor and feel better equipped to make decisions with regards to ‘risk taking’ behaviour.
The program has three stages; initially we focus on engagement and work on developing self-confidence, communication skills and team work. Secondly we work on developing leadership skills and provide an opportunity for the beneficiaries to become peer mentors, and the third stage is activities / workshops led by the peer mentors.
The Risky Business project helps empower young people to break the cycle of ‘need’ and
homelessness. The beneficiaries take a lead in organising the timetable of activities based on their needs and interests and hold regular forum sessions where the group offer feedback and suggest ideas to have ownership of the project.
Peer mentor led activities The Peer Mentors have ran many activities including sessions in fitness, cooking, substance misuse, healthy eating, beauty, games, dance, pebble art, music and film reviews to name a few.
Peer Mentors in the Community The peer mentors have organised Harry Potter events, positive postcards for the Community and recently a Dragon Door trail in Broad Oaks woods Connahs Quay, and have more dragon door trails to display at Greenfield Valley and Flint Coastal path.
‘I have really enjoyed working with Lindsay and Haley. They make planning the session’s fun to help the younger kids that come to the project’. Female aged 16
‘I’ve been working with Haley and Lindsay for over a year now. I’ve started planning some peer mentoring sessions. I’m looking forward to passing on some skills I’ve learnt’. Female aged 15