The fun of the fair
A funfair themed event was held at Hamilton Town House this month to celebrate the success of a mentoring project for young people that have been involved in offending behaviour.
The Chance to Change Celebration event looked back on four years of the mentoring project in South Lanarkshire.
Mentors and invited guests got the chance to take part in funfair themed activities.
The day celebrated the fantastic work completed throughout the project and it was also an opportunity to meet some of the young people and volunteers who have been involved in the project over the last four years.
Chance to Change was a mentoring project for young people aged 16-25, living in the South Lanarkshire area that had been involved in offending behaviour.
The project, which was based in Voluntary Action South Lanarkshire (VASLAN), recruited, trained and supported volunteer mentors from all walks of life who were then matched with a young person to provide one to one support and assist them to overcome their personal circumstances.
Through mentoring, personal goal setting and group work, Chance to Change ensured young people gained the life skills needed to overcome their personal life challenges.
Alistair Stewart from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, said:“this was an interactive and fun approach to an event.
“It showed real people, with real stories and experiences.”
Fiona Jamieson, programme manager at The Robertson Trust, also praised the event.
She added:“it was a marvellous day, the theme was fabulous and was well used to illustrate the outcomes and barriers.
“Well done to all the staff and young people involved in such a successful day!”
The employability-focussed mentoring programme was funded for the past four years through the Reducing Reoffending Change Fund and The Roberson Trust.
The project supported 129 young people from across South Lanarkshire as mentors encouraged their charges to take up opportunities to build their confidence, self-esteem and skills. Chris Forbes, from BBC1’S Scot Squad, attended the event as a special guest and became Ringmaster for the day as he took guests on a rollercoaster ride at the funfair.
Each guest was given a badge with a fairground symbol which told them what stall to go to first.
They then made their way around each stall including hook a duck, arts and crafts and the‘munchies’stall where they enjoyed fairground themed treats.
Susan Johnstone, area manager for the Big Lottery Fund, said:“i loved the funfair theme. It was such a good way to highlight the difficult issues the young people the project works with face and overcome.
“It was great to meet the young people and volunteers and it was so clear how passionate the project staff are about what they do.”
The event was rounded up by VASLAN Team Leader, Jenny Gemmell, who announced the new ‘Chance 2 Change’project has been awarded three years of funding by the Big Lottery Fund and will continue to help young people in South Lanarkshire with multiple complex challenges.