Rainbow Services youth project welcomes MP Robert Halfon (June 2023)
On 16 June we were delighted to be invited back to Rainbow Services to join in welcoming Robert Halfon, MP for Harlow to their Youth Project. The Youth Project, funded by the Essex VVU and the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex, is for 14 to 18 year olds who have disengaged from education, […]
Changing Lives in Colchester (March 2023)
Earlier this month we popped down to Colchester to visit Changing Lives. Changing Lives is a non-profit, community interest company that uses sport, social experiences, mentoring and work experience to install confidence in young people and give them opportunities and options to work towards a more positive future. Originally based at Harlow, Changing Lives expanded […]
Our new project: ReRoute (June 2022)
We are working on a new project called ReRoute. This project works with young people who have been arrested on possession of carrying a knife but who are waiting to be charged to court. There can be a considerable amount of time between arrest and a court date; by working in this time period to […]
The success of detached youth work (June 2022)
We are consistently told by young people across Essex they want safe activities to participate in and safe places to meet, alongside adults they can talk to and trust. For the past 18 months we’ve worked with Essex Council of Voluntary Youth Services (ECVYS) and Active Essex to fund detached youth workers in areas of […]
Rainbow Services, Harlow (Autumn 2021)
One of the projects the VVU supports is Rainbow Services in Harlow, and specifically a fantastic project that helps young people gain qualifications in construction. Young people referred to the Workshop at Rainbow Services are welcomed into a supportive and practical community-based environment. With help from volunteer mentors they learn how to build and construct […]