Hyndburn youth experience the great outdoors

Published by Chenoa Parr for Symphony Housing Group in Communities and also in Housing

Social landlord Hyndburn Homes has been helping 10 teens from the local area to develop team building skills, build confidence and encourage positive behaviour.

The trip to Tower Wood Outdoor Education Centre in Windermere is an annual event organised by Hyndburn Homes in conjunction with YNOT (Young Persons’ Neighbourhood Operational Team) Hyndburn, and the initiative has proved highly successful.

The ten girls aged between 13 and 15 are from across the Hyndburn area and were nominated to attend by a variety of agencies as a reward for improved behaviour and outstanding achievements. They were accompanied by staff from Hyndburn Homes, YNOT Hyndburn, Brook Blackburn and a community volunteer.

The three day trip included team building skills as well as making the most of the great outdoors with activities such as ghyll scrambling, pony trekking and kayaking.

One of the girls on the trip Lauren Courtney 15 years old said: “I really enjoyed all the different activities that we got to do on the trip.  I learnt how to work as part of a team and how to help each other.”

Sharon Burch from YNOT Hyndburn said “It was great to give these young girls the opportunity to do things that they have never done before. They learnt a lot about working together and looking out for each other as well as building on their self-confidence and overcoming some of their fears”.

Wayne Smith from the Neighbourhood Management team explains:  “Young people often get a bad press but we have found that with the right encouragement we can channel their energies into more positive things.”

Wayne also said: “We are very lucky in Hyndburn to have such great partnership working opportunities that can offer activities and trips such as this”.