A BLAST is, in essence, Keyfund in two weeks and includes;

• “Introduction to Keyfund” training for new facilitators (we are aiming for this to be at a reduced cost)
• Community Panel Member Training
• Drop-ins to develop your groups idea and application
• Group going to Panel to present their project and seek approval to take forward
• Initial group idea to money reward in two weeks (if required learning has been achieved)
• A great way to understand the Keyfund process to do more of your own in the future.

Running this BLAST means that the young people you are working with could have a reward for their learning of up to £250, this will aid them to participate in an activity that might have been previously unavailable to them. You need to have a group of young people to go through the BLAST process which will start on the 20th February 2012 with “Introduction to Keyfund” Training at the BBC TYNE TEES, Middlesbrough. The groups idea also needs to engage with one of the four selected projects we run - The North East Youth Network, somewhereto_, Truth About Youth or NE-Generation.

If you are interested or want to know more about this great opportunity please contact our new development worker Michele Deans on mdeansy@yahoo.co.uk or contact Ria at the Unit on 0191 440 4410.

Bands and Acoustic acts are playing on the 23rd and DJ’s and break-dancers are performing on the 30th. The event begins at 6.30pm prompt and runs on until 9pm with tickets being sold on the door on the night of the event for £2 on a first come first served basis.

We hope to see a lot of young people there, get there early for tickets to avoid any disappointments (max capacity 90).
Click here for full flyer.

Deadline 27th January to apply!

This is the first awards the Regional Youth Work Unit has done and we are hoping to make it an annual event.

Click here to find out more and APPLY NOW!

The course will enable vocalists to develop their own style and skills, record industry standard tracks, work in a professional studio environment and receive expert industry training and artist development.

Previous vocalists graduating from the UMT: VOX course have gone on to release singles, support high profile artists, achieve airplay on national radio and coverage on influential blogs and websites.

Listen to previous tracks here.

To be considered for the course please submit your tracks to bob@generator.org.uk

We have opened up our second seminar to more members of the youth work world and with so much interest in our first seminar we have added the 15th December to our dates. If you would like to attend please contact ria@rywu.org.uk or on 01914404410

Click here for further information.

This Seminar is now FULLY BOOKED

Free seminar for professionals in the Voluntary Sector on Friday 9th December at the Regional Youth Work Unit – North East.

Click here for full details of the seminar and the project.

We have had quite a lot of response so far so get in touch soon to get your place on this date. Further seminars may be announced at a later date.

Please note this seminar is primarily for professionals working in the voluntary sector.

Contact ria@rywu.org.uk or on 01914404410 to book your place.

To nominate a young person for an award please click here.

This year the awards are open across the North East to all young people aged 11-25.

The deadline for applications is Friday 18th November.

To see more about last years awards visit www.truthaboutyouth.org.uk

For more information please contact Laura Iveson Laura@rywu.org.uk 0191 4404410

If you would like more information on the project or would like to attend a seminar please don’t hesitate to contact the Unit on 01914404410 or Ria on ria@rywu.org.uk.

This course is now fully booked

The North East has long been a champion for youth engagement and public and voluntary sector organisations in the region are noted for their efforts and achievements in this field. Yet the pressure mounts – cuts to funding, changes to Higher Education and the social and economic climate make the value of youth engagement and participation more important than ever. While they are often the subject of research and invariably feel the impact of publicly funded research as it evolves in to policy, more young people should be encouraged to actively participate in the design and delivery of research. Beacon NE, in partnership with the Regional Youth Work Unit and the Institute of Local Governance, is delivering an event dedicated to exploring best practice in this field.
This event will:

* Bring together academics, youth practitioners, policy makers and young people

* Build capacity to do research with young people within the region

* Build confidence of academics and youth practitioners and encourage collaboration

* Explore issues connected to values and ethics in regards to research with young people as co-producers of the research

* Highlight examples of best practice in youth engagement

If you are an academic researcher or Post-Graduate student experienced or interested in researching with young people, a practitioner working with children and young people or a policy-maker or commissioner in the field of children’s services, we invite you to take part in this free conference aimed at sharing best practice. The event is open to all, and we would particularly welcome attendance from young people from around the region so please feel free to distribute to your networks.

The event will take place in the King’s Road Centre on Newcastle University campus, maps and directions can be found here: http://www.ncl.ac.uk/about/visit/maps.htm Parking for delegates will not be available on campus so we recommend using public transport or one of the public car parks in the city centre. If you have any particular access requirements for this event, please email kate.hudson@ncl.ac.uk

For an up to date Programme of the day click here

While this event is free, delegates who cancel between Thursday 20th October and Monday 24th October may incur a cancellation charge.