Smiles for Miles Base Project

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“The sky’s the limit for young people with the right basket of support and provision”

Following the huge success of the 2021-2023 Smiles for Miles Base Project we are now offering even more open access youth groups, positive activities and specialist support for Children and Young People in Rotherham over a three-year period from April 2024 to March 2027!

The project is all about co-production and supporting young people to reach their goals (as defined by them) and lead the direction of the project based on what they say they need or would like to “have a go at”.

Our project priorities are around early intervention, improving spaces and places that matter to communities, bringing people together and building strong relationships in and across communities. We want to provide young people with the right activities and support, in the right place, at the right time.

The Project So Far… (2021-2023)

4800+

Activities and support sessions

2500+

Young people supported

20000+

Attendances by young people

What is on offer?

Five bases; JADE Youth and Community, Clifton Learning Partnership, Swinton Lock Activity Centre, Rotherham United Community Trust and Rotherham Rise are offering open access youth groups, activities, drop-ins and 1-to-1 support. Here, a trusted adult will also help young people access other opportunities in the project through our ‘basket of support and provision’ which is delivered by five other organisations in partnership with the bases.

Throughout the project, young people can get involved in lots of different opportunities and experiences, such as:

How to get involved

Smiles for Miles is aimed at children and young people in Rotherham aged 8 to 19, or up to 25 for young people with special education needs or disabilities.

If you know which activities you would like to get involved in, feel free to contact our service providers directly using the drop down menu below.

If you are unsure, or you want to find out more about the project, please contact our Project Coordinator

Smiles for Miles Project Coordinator

If you are supporting or know of a young person who would like to get involved in the project, please use our referral form for external partners.

Referral Form for External Partners

Click the drop down for more details on the activities and support available

Main Bases

JADE Youth and Community

info@jadeyouthandcommunity.co.uk

01909 565639

JADE Youth and Community are offering a range of open access youth club sessions for Juniors (aged 8-11), Seniors (aged 12-19), LGBTQ+ (aged 11-19) and young people with SEND (aged 8-25). Through these sessions, young people will have access to a trusted adult for 1 to 1 support and a wide range of positive activities that build skills, confidence, and self-esteem and act as a platform to grow relationships, identify need, and target support. They will also be offering advice drop ins for young people and outreach and detached youth work.

Swinton Lock Activity Centre

info@swintonlock.org.uk

01709 578778

Swinton Lock Activity Centre are offering weekly youth clubs and workshops for young people aged 11-16 They will also be providing access to a trusted adult who will provide 1 to 1 support and help young people access other opportunities in the project. Swinton Lock Activity Centre will listen to young people’s ideas about what opportunities they wish to access and develop a bespoke plan to embed these ideas, also utilising a buddy system to help support and develop young people’s interpersonal skills and capabilities.

Clifton Learning Partnership

leannecorns@clifton-partnership.org.uk

01709 728069

Clifton Learning Partnership (CLP) are offering open access youth club sessions for young people aged 8-13 and drop-in sessions for young people who are not in education, employment or training. They will also be providing access to a trusted adult who will offer 1 to 1 support and help young people access other opportunities. Their focus will be on positive activities that build skills, aspirations, confidence and that act as a platform to educate people about the norms of British life, how to look after the local area, increase awareness of rights, set up support systems and create opportunities.

Rotherham United Community Trust

inclusion@ruct.co.uk

01709 827767

Rotherham United Community Trust are offering open access youth club sessions at Parkgate Astro and New York Stadium for young people aged 10-16. They will also provide access to a trusted adult who will offer 1-1 mentoring support and connect young people to other services. These sessions will access children and young people to arts and crafts, music, cooking, fitness, cycling as vehicles to support young people to become physically active and educational workshops will also take place on various topics according to the needs of young people such as; hate crime, knife crime, gambling and gaming, water safety and mental health.

Rotherham Rise

help@rotherhamrise.org.uk

0330 2020571

Rotherham Rise are offering weekly open access youth groups for young people aged 8-11 and 11-19. Within these sessions, Rotherham Rise will co-produce a programme of activities with young people that will be supported by local services and agencies who will be invited respond to the needs, issues and activities identified by young people e.g., music and film sessions / dance / games nights / information and advice sessions etc. They will also be providing access to a trusted adult to provide 1 to 1 support.

Basket of Support and Provision

YWCA Yorkshire

Life Skills Training, Self-Help and Wellness Programmes

01709 703471

YWCA will work with partners to offer a range of social, recreational and diversionary activities, 1-1 support and self-help/wellness programmes on a twice weekly basis prioritised and tailored depending on the need and appetite of young people aged 14-19 or up to 25 with SEND. These may include; Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP), a bespoke self-help programme developed for children and young people which addresses mental health and wellbeing challenges and can be developed through a small group or on a 1:1 basis; Escape the TRAP (Teenage Domestic Abuse Programme), a programme designed to help all young people, however they identify, to recognise abusive behaviours and identify the impact of such behaviours on their mental health and emotional wellbeing; Parenting support; and Life Skills programmes focused around money management, dealing with debt, cooking on a budget, parenting, confidence and self-esteem.

Rotherham and Barnsley Mind

Mental Health Support

01709 919929

Rotherham & Barnsley Mind will offer both 1:1 and group mental health support to children and young people aged 9-19 or up to 25 with SEND. This may include bite sized workshops which are interactive and inclusive, focussing on; Self esteem, Positive body image, Social media, Anger management, Bullying, Healthy relationships, Coping skills for the transition into adulthood, Positive ways to cope in difficult situations or Basic Mental health awareness and how to get support. They will also work with existing provisions where young people already meet regularly, but would not typically have access to mental health support. For example, by working alongside boxing and physical activity providers, RB Mind will be able to offer ‘Talk and train’ type sessions which combine qualified coaches with RB Mind mental health workers in a designated safe and inclusive space.

Where individuals are identified and want to explore deeper mental health issues, RB Mind will support them on a 1:1 basis with qualified counsellors and mental health workers. These individuals will receive in-depth initial assessments to identify risk and need and be assigned a worker for individual sessions on a weekly basis for 6-8 weeks, or shorter/longer depending on need.

RUSH House

Support to prepare for Education, Employment and Training

01709 369295

Rush House are offering weekly personal development group sessions for young women and for young men aged 9-19 or up to 25 with SEND. The aim of these groups will be to provide personal development opportunities that will support children and young people to grow in confidence and self-belief and give them access to training opportunities and a broad range of AQA units. By offering these groups, young people will be better able to achieve their individual goals and develop their support system based on mutual respect, camaraderie and shared understanding. This will benefit those in need of nurturing support to help build their confidence and bravery to take chances and strive towards new goals.

Rotherham Open Arts Renaissance

Arts-based Activities and Creative Projects

01709 835747

Rotherham Open Arts Renaissance (ROAR) will deliver a wide range of artistic and creative activities designed and imagined together with young people aged 9-19 or up to 25 with SEND. ROAR will work with partner organisations to provide creative and artistic professionals skilled in working with young people to work alongside partner organisations and deliver activities typically in blocks of four for specific venues or groups of young people to allow for an initial development phase and time to realise their ideas. The activities will provide an opportunity to explore issue-based topics through arts-based provisions such as ceramics, drawing, laser cutting and print making. The main focus of ROAR’s activities will be health and wellbeing, but these sessions may also be fine-tuned to focus on other issue-based delivery. These activities will help young people develop their creativity and imagination, enhance their problem-solving skills and enable them to think outside the box. They will also help young people relax and reduce stress levels, leading to improved mental health and wellbeing. Creating art will provide a sense of achievement and mastery, which can improve self-esteem and confidence in young people. Artistic activities often involve collaboration and teamwork, which can help young people build social connections and develop interpersonal skills.

Endeavour

Outdoor Activities and Experiences

0114 2438219

Endeavour will introduce young people aged 9-19 or up to 25 with SEND to outdoor activities such as canoeing, climbing, caving and hillwalking – using these activities as a tool for personal development and growth whilst encouraging the therapeutic benefits of the outdoors to help young people facing mental health challenges.

These activities will range from half-day to full-day sessions designed to help young people to develop the skills they need to face their problems, tackle issues head on and succeed where they may have previously failed including empowering young people to conquer their fears, to express themselves, and to trust and respect others.

How did the project come about?

In 2019, The Different but Equal Board worked with young people’s groups across Rotherham to come up with the name “Smiles for Miles” and influence what kinds of support and activities should be on offer. The voice of children and young people has then continued to shape and develop the project.

Watch our short film below to hear from some of our delivery partners about how the project is helping organisations work together to offer the best possible experiences for young people.

Timetable of Activities

Share the Project with Others

Smiles for Miles Poster

Smiles for Miles Stories

Watch Our Consortium Film

CYPF Consortium Film

Thank you to our partners

The project is funded by the National Lottery. Our thanks go to National Lottery players who raise £30million each week for good causes like ours.

10 of our member organisations are delivering the project, working together to support young people to reach their goals as defined by them.

Smiles For Miles