Glancing over her shoulder, Emma James* realised that her bullies were no longer just at school, they were actually following her home. Running inside, she slammed the door shut, locking it tight and cowering with fear as they tried to smash in her front door, panicking that the glass might shatter onto her two little sisters, one of whom was in a pushchair in the hallway. Fortunately, no-one was injured but her confidence hit rock bottom and she further retreated into herself as a result. Despairing as to what to do, her parents called a youth club in Handsworth and asked for help - and the impact has been palpable, not just for Emma but for all the young people around her too.
The Olive Connect runs Fridays Youth Club at Laurel Road Community Sports Centre from 5pm to 7pm each week. It is the only space of its kind in the area, created by a group of five young women resolute in their determination to give children and young people the start in life they enjoyed, having attended a youth club at that very centre themselves as kids.
Youth Workers Making a Difference
"Without youth clubs, kids loiter and find corners to hang out," said youth worker Abejai Scott-Thompson, 22 and from Handsworth. "We started the Fridays Youth Club when we noticed the art of youth work is almost obsolete in Handsworth. While the safe spaces for young people are being erased, the young people themselves are not. This project is about providing a space for young people of all ages to come and socialise in a setting with no pressure, no standards to be met, no specific programme to adhere to, just coming after school and having fun. From sports and games to arts and crafts, there's something for everyone."
For Emma, it's been a lifeline. "Now she comes to the youth club and all the kids love her and want to talk to her and tell her all about what's happened that week," she said. "They want her on their team, or to play songs together. They get on really well. She's become a mentor to them. In fact, all the kids look up to her. It's been a big boost to her confidence, empowering for her as well as for them."
The Need for Safe Spaces
Emma's story is just one example of the difference youth clubs can make to young people. Many people who grew up in the 1980s to 2000s will have fond memories of these places, safe spaces where they could just hang out safely with friends. There are four large secondary schools and lots of primary schools in and around Handsworth but the only other youth centre in the area closed down last year. If it wasn't for The Olive Connect, these kids would have to travel to Highgate or Sutton Coldfield which causes not only logistical but social issues.
"Even if the kids could get there, I doubt they would feel welcome because they are from different backgrounds and demographics," said Abejai, whose team now runs three programmes throughout the year, and a summer playscheme during the six-week holidays. Without youth clubs in place, young people can end up isolated with their only community being a superficial digital connection via social media on their phones. Or they can appear to cause trouble because they don't know what else to do.
"We have benches outside and sometimes kids hang out there, or play football in the road," said Abejai. "They're not doing anything wrong but they're still in their school uniforms so they've probably not told their parents what they are doing. We've been out and told them they're free to come inside but you can't force them because that will just push them further away. It's nice they feel safe enough to come into the general space, it is a safe space for them to be. They've always been respectful and said thank you, even if they've chosen not to."
The community centre runs pay and play football pitches where they can play for just £1. "We've had 20 boys from different schools come along and they're very respectful to each other, even if the schools don't normally get on. It's good for them to have a different circle of friends outside of school."
Activities and Community Building
Each week, the club has food too. Initially, it was just crisps and snacks but they were finding that wasn't filling the kids up so they now share pasta bakes, spaghetti and pizzas - often made by the group themselves. The leaders have been mindful to create activities that feel right for the group. "We had to figure out a way to ask them not to be on their phones without saying no phones as that was never going to work. So we might have a Kahoot quiz or do a WhatsApp hide and seek. We also do table tennis, have a laptop so they can watch films or play music, play board games or outside games like tug-of-war, capture the flag and elephant football. We do things from their suggestions, such as smoothie making. Most of the time we leave them to do what they want to do."
Over time, the club has helped develop some lovely friend groups. "There are some nice friendships that have formed, a lot that would not have happened outside of this space because they've mixed with different races and genders, grammar school kids with regular school children. Sometimes people ask if it works to be aged six to 16 but we find the younger and older kids get on better than you would think. A lot of the older ones help the younger ones."
How The Olive Connect Began
Back in 2016, the team set up a holiday play scheme, which was sponsored by Aspire, and it was really well attended. "When we first started, it seemed like youth clubs were only for naughty children or isolated kids, or children of a certain demographic who might benefit from having the support of an adult outside of the home," said Abejai. "I graduated last year and, as part of my course, I had to do 156 hours of youth work placements but I found they were very particular, based around rehabilitation or behavioural issues or support for sports. There were none that were just general overall support for young people."
Abejai works with youth worker Romiqua Montaque, sports therapist Deeanna Brade, animator Colyssia Brown and primary school teacher Sophie Johnson. In October 2022, having secured Children in Need funding, they opened their own youth club. And everyone was invited. It was simply called Friday Youth Club. "I remember that day so clearly," said Abejai. "We were nervous, we didn't expect anyone to show up. But eight people came and we had a great time, far better than we could have imagined. We did pumpkin carving and the kids made an absolute mess and had a fantastic time. We had a fantastic time watching them have fun. It was the first time any of us had carved a pumpkin and it was the same for them. It gave us the push to realise this was something we needed to keep doing."
By January, 15 children and young people were turning up regularly and, once it got warmer, more young people came along. Today, there's around 30 children a week. "It was then full steam ahead to become a youth work organisation."
How The Olive Connect Has Grown
There are now three groups for children and young people of differing ages plus a summer playscheme during the six-week holidays, all based at Laurel Road Community Sports Centre in Handsworth. As a result of the youth club, they came up with the idea for 2Koi, a safe and accepting space for young carers and young people in the care system. It runs fortnightly, on the second and fourth Wednesday of every month, for young people ages 6-16.
"Some of the young people who come to the youth club have extra responsibilities at home, parents who need a lot of help. The name came from the fact it was aimed at two audiences and because, in Japanese culture, koi fish symbolise strength and resilience and that's what so many of these young people show. However, when they come to this group, we say you don't have to be strong, you are nine-years-old. We don't expect you to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. Here they can offload, they know we'll listen without running back to tell their parents. For many, it's just good for them to get things off their chests."
She added: "It is a place for young people to unwind, be themselves, and connect with others who understand just that little bit more. Free from labels and expectations, the young people have a space to relax, socialise, and build friendships in a supportive environment. We offer a range of activities and games all tailored to help young people de-stress, explore their interests, and most importantly just be themselves. We've had some really rewarding moments."
Twigglets SEN-Friendly Stay and Play
Their latest project is Twigglets stay and play group that welcomes SEN children along with every other child every Wednesday from 11am to 2pm. "Many of the young carers have SEN siblings so this really takes their needs into consideration. From what we've heard, help is often limited. They are put into a special needs facility but it only lasts for 12 weeks, which is not enough time to build trust and connection, or to adapt to new spaces and become someone outside of the house. We keep the same staff, and the same layout each week so there are no surprises. We aim to provide a nurturing environment for both mothers and babies, with activities and sensory experiences tailored to meet a variety of needs."
Abejai and the team have plans for the future of The Olive Connect. "We want to make it bigger and better, helping more young people, offering more workshops," she said. "There's high demand. It's good to offer something consistent for children and carers, having a safe space is a big win."
* Emma's name has been changed to protect her identity.
