Students care for the community

Cassius Lockwood and Brian Atkins, in Year 11, are members of the Colburn Youth Project and are involved in a host of community activities. Last year, they took part in an award-winning project in collaboration with the North Yorkshire Young Rangers, an initiative run by the North Yorkshire Moors National Park Authority. They spent over 25 hours volunteering at weekends in countryside around Sutton Bank, near Thirsk. The group cleared paths, cut down trees, did bracken bashing, cleared fields of dead grass to let wild flowers grow and carried out river fly monitoring. In addition, the volunteers completed their Level 2 in First Aid. The young people’s hard work was recognised by the John Muir Award, which they were very honoured to receive. The group is now looking to do another community project under the John Muir umbrella which requires over 50 hours of volunteering.

Other projects that Cassius has been involved in with the Colburn Youth Project include promoting a healthy eating campaign among young children.

Cassius said: “There are many opportunities to do volunteering in our local area and it is a fantastic way to meet people and to be able to give something back to our community. I would urge anyone to get involved, it is not only a brilliant way to spend your free time but leaves you with a great sense of purpose and achievement.”

The Colburn Youth Project welcomes students from Year 6 to Year 10 and meets three times a week evenings at the Colburn Library and Village Hall. You can find out more about the group HERE

Laura Copland, Cassius’ tutor, said: “What wonderful work the students are doing with the North Yorkshire Young Rangers to help enhance the beauty of the countryside and make it a safer place for the public to enjoy. It is great to hear that he is looking to continue his sterling work and continue to give something back to the community.”The Colburn Youth Project has worked with approximately 30-45 young people at a time providing an informal safe environment in which the young people are free to express themselves, learn and grow through positive engagement and feedback from within where peer education plays a role. They are funded through diligent funding applications put forward by members of the management Committee and staff and by the local Parish Council and remain a voluntary community group.

The Colburn Youth Project began its journey in 2017, runs 3 times a week, works with young people aged between Y6 and Y13 and unfortunately still does not possess its own building. They work out of the Colburn Library, Village Hall and Leisure Centre with all our equipment and resources spread between the three venues.

Over the years they have run a multitude of varying activities. Dj-ing, all types of arts and craft including: rock, glass, egg, face and canvas painting, large art projects, seasonal crafts etc.; sports like football, tug of war, rounders, boxing, ariel yoga and cricket; console games and computer provisions, quizzes; drama, board, old fashioned , parlour and interactive games, table tennis, pool; Water Safety Training, healthy living workshops, treasure hunts, drumming workshops, 3 trips to LightWater Valley, potting bulbs, knitting, sewing, tie-dying, baking, cooking, life skills, birthdays, Horse-Riding, two residential trips away for the weekends, Self-Esteem, Self-Harm, Self-Awareness workshops, voluntary local litter picking involvement, 1.5 years of Zooms, outreach engagement at the park, 3 Christmas Fairs, 2 Summer Activity Days, a FEAST project involving 4 young people volunteers, Level 1 Food Hygiene Cert, Survival First Aid Cert, voluntary conservation work through the John Muir Award, Young Rangers 3 Award, working with other groups, listening and engaging with the young people and making a film called Lost in Translation  to name most of their activities.