Building communities and big opportunities

We are delighted to announce Rosanna from the Avon Youth Club is the winner of our 2025 Film Competition!

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Last month, we were pleased to host a Film Competition across our Community Youth Club and Youth Club on Wheels network. Young people from each club were encouraged to create a short film using a mobile phone, tablet or camera, to entered into our competition.

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We received a number of entries from across our club network, our judges chose one winner from the range of amazing creative skills that were showcased in the competition!

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The winners of our competition is Rosanna, a young person from Avon Youth Club session! In her film, she discussed why she would like to be a xx and xx when she grows up. Rosanna was awarded with a £15 Amazon gift card for winning the competition. Well done to Kyah, Hartcliffe Club for Young People and Tico, Hartcliffe Club for Young People, who were announced as runners up of the competition.

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Congratulations Rosanna! During November, we are running a Christmas Card competition! Ask your local Club Leader for more information on how to enter.

Are you looking to take part in exciting activities this month? Young Bristol have a range of activities, events and opportunities for young people and the wider community! Find out below what's on in your local area this month!

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Christmas Card Competition

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Create a Christmas card on our premade template and submit to a Club Leader. Winners will receive VIP Box Tickets for 4 people to Bristol’s Christmas Pantomime.

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When: Monday 3rd November - Friday 14th November

Where: Various Youth Clubs

For: Ages 8-19

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‍Super Sliders Trip

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Super Sliders are offering their Bronze and Silver Award, where you will take part in a one-day camp in which you will get the chance to try out skeleton and bobsleigh.

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When: Saturday 29th November

Where: Bath University 'Push Track'

For: Ages 16-25

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‍Also this month...

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Community Youth Clubs - For 8 – 19 year olds and are located in many areas across Bristol, open up to 4 nights per week. Each Club offers a safe and inclusive environment, staffed by caring, trained adults. Click here to find out more.

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Outdoor Employment Programme - Our free programme for young people aged 16-25 helps to develop new skills and gain nationally recognised qualifications in a variety of outdoor activities. Click here to find out more.

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Youth Club on Wheels - Our mobile youth service works with young people aged 8-19 in hard-to-reach areas of the city and rural areas where there is currently no youth provision. Click here to find out more.

This week, Young Bristol is celebrating National Trustee Week, which is an annual celebration of the achievements and incredible work Trustees offer to our charity, between Monday 3rd November - Friday 7th November.

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Young Bristol's Board of Trustees are a group of volunteers who help to drive our developing work with children and young people across Bristol. We are pleased to work with 11 trustees, who are responsible for the strategic direction and development of the charity.

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Meet our Trustee's - Cathy Dodsworth

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Cathy Dodsworth is a HR Director living in Bristol. She initially heard about Young Bristol through one of the coaches at my son’s rugby club, Owen, who is also an Outdoors Activity Instructor at Young Bristol.

She wanted to become a Trustee to combine her passion for volunteering and utilising her business experience, with learning about the charity sector. The work that Young Bristol does in supporting young people is something that she felt she could really add value to.

Over the past year, Cathy has really enjoyed visiting our youth clubs, meeting a number of young people we work with across the city, and witnessing how children benefit, grow and thrive as a result of our programmes and services. Cathy has also attend regular Trustee meetings, supporting with our finances, fundraising and future developments.

“A key highlight for me was being able to attend the Awards, AGM and Celebration event. Being able to recognise and celebrate the achievements of so many young people and staff was just fabulous to see. It was a great start to being a trustee and really brought home what Young Bristol can offer to our young people.”

One piece of advice Cathy would give to anyone looking to become a Trustee would be to be prepared to make the commitment to get involved and attend meetings or activities. Finding a charity that you feel passionate about, can really help you to feel like you can make a difference with your contribution.

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Meet our Trustee's - Shannon Ringland

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Shannon moved to Bristol in 2015 and began working at Bristol Zoo Gardens as part of the high ropes instructor team. This is where Shannon first heard about Young Bristol, with her colleagues speaking highly of the Outdoor Employment Programme (better known as the Instruictor Training Scheme at the time). Shannon joined the programme and found it a fantastic opportunity to meet like-minded people and develop new skills. A year later, she began working at the SS Great Britain, leading the “Go Aloft!” climbing experience, and has since continued to work in visitor attractions across the South West.

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Having experienced the positive impact of Young Bristol first hand, Shannon was excited to become a Trustee, and saw the role as a chance to give something back to a charity she respected, while also gaining valuable insight into how charities operates at a strategic level.

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Since joining the Board less than a year ago, Shannon has focused on learning more about Young Bristol’s programmes and priorities, while contributing to discussions about the charity’s future plans. She has particularly enjoyed celebrating the successes of the team and the young people we support.

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“Seeing the impact of the team’s hard work, through the success of fundraising events and the positive outcomes for young people, is incredibly motivating. Those moments of shared achievement really capture what makes Young Bristol so special.”

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For Shannon, becoming a Trustee has been both rewarding and inspiring, helping her to build confidence, broaden her perspective, and learn from fellow Trustees and the wider staff team. One piece of advice Shannon would give to anyone looking to become a Trustee would be to find a charity you feel passionate about, as that passion will make your contribution all the more meaningful.

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Thank you to our Board of Trustees for your continued support and voluntary efforts to support Young Bristol and the young people of Bristol! Find out more about our Board of Trustees here!

This week Young Bristol is celebrating Youth Work Week, an annual celebration of all things youth work between Monday 3^rd – Sunday 9^th November 2025. This year, The National Youth Agency’s Youth Work Week explores, ‘building brighter futures: safe places, trusted support and opportunities to thrive’.

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This years theme highlights the essential role that youth work plays in helping young people feel secure, supported and empowered to reach their full potential.

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At Young Bristol we are committed to continuing our Mission and our strategic focuses; providing transformative programmes, a supportive environment, and activities and opportunities to support young people to feel empowered, included and not alone.

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Providing safe places for Bristol's young people

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Our work continues to provide young people with safe, welcoming, inclusive spaces, where they can be themselves build friendships and access support when they need it most.

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Our Youth Clubs and services continue to be at the core of communities, at a time where young people have been hugely affected by the cost-of-living crisis, which has impacted many young people living in areas of deprivation from accessing the services that they need most. Youth work gives young people the safety and support that they cannot find on the streets, acting as the bridge between home and school life.

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• 27,215 attendances with young people aged 8-25
• Our 8 Community Youth Clubs provided a safe place for 1,832 young people aged 8-19, continuing to open their doors up to 4 nights per week, 48 weeks of the year
• 11 rural and urban communities were positively impacted by our work, where there is currently no youth provision
• 1,322 meals provided through our community youth clubs, helping address food poverty and holiday hunger
• An investment of £753,280 into capital improvements at a number of our community venues since 2022; making improvements that would help to create environments that young people can thrive in.

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Outdoor Employment Programme

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Young Bristol's Outdoor Employment Programme is a free programme targeting young people aged 16-25 with barriers to employment. The programme offers young people the opportunity to develop new skills, gain nationally recognised qualifications and build a positive future into employment as an outdoor instructor.

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Owen, age 25, joined Young Bristol’s Outdoor Employment Programme (OEP) in 2022. Passionate about water sports and climbing, Owen has trained extensively, mentoring others, and bringing new participants into the programme.

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Owen has engaged with incredible enthusiasm with the OEP; during his involvement, Owen has been given the opportunity to visit Redpoint Climbing Centre and engage in their Volunteer and Mentor Scheme, train on the SS Great Britain's High Ropes training course and has been employed directly by Young Bristol, supporting our Outdoor Activity Summer programme and Adult Gig Club. Through the OEP, Owen is now also a fully qualified Paddle Sport Instructor, Powerboat Driver and First Aider.

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“Owen has been a huge help and advocate for the programme, bringing new young people on board, and supporting other trainees on the programme. It is fantastic to see him get the recognition he deserves!”

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Youth Voice and Young Leaders

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At Young Bristol, young people are at the forefront of everything that we do, and allowing our young people to volunteer at their local Community Youth Club inspires their future career options and gives the opportunity to take on leadership roles during club sessions. From helping with tuck shop and registration to delivering activities and acting as role models.

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Robyn, aged 15, is a Young Leader at BS14 Youth Club's junior sessions. Robyn started volunteering as a Young Leader to contribute towards her Duke of Edinburgh Award, where she immediately stepped into her new responsibilities, and worked hard to build relationships with the clubs juniors. Once she completed her Duke of Edinburgh Award, the team at BS14 Youth Club were pleased to find out that she would like to continue volunteering as a Young Leader!

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Since Robyn has volunteered as a Young Leader, the team have seen Robyn grow in confidence, champion her learning and development, and has started to lead on a number of activities, including cooking and arts and crafts.

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Her kind and caring nature has helped her to build trusting relationships with the younger members, she makes an effort to listen to each of them. Her maturity and kindness makes her a fantastic young leader and role model for the younger members.

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"The junior session can be very busy, and we've really seen how Robyn has grown into her role and stepped up as a fantastic role model. We are thrilled to continue supporting her as a Young Leader here at BS14 Youth Club!"

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Our staff

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Without our staff team, we cannot achieve great things. We spoke with Jacky Eddy, Hartcliffe Club for Young People and Simon Long, The Grove @ Bedminster Down about their experience working with young people and why they believe youth work is important.

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“Youth clubs play a key role in a young person’s development — offering safe spaces, trusted adults, and chances to grow socially and emotionally. Youth work helps build resilience and supports young people to become more confident, capable adults with a social conscience. It’s about helping young people to feel valued and believe in themselves. A highlight this year was seeing our senior members and volunteers grow in confidence and take the lead in planning and delivering activities.”

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Jacky Eddy, Hartcliffe Club for Young People

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“Our youth club gives young people a safe space to explore who they are, have honest conversations, and feel supported by trusted adults. Through fun and play, we deliver informal learning that sticks — helping young people grow into well-rounded individuals. The difference we hope to make is in the memories that last a lifetime, and the relationships that support them from childhood through to young adulthood.”

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Simon Long, The Grove @ Bedminster Down

During the October half term, we were pleased to see Bristol Old Vic Theatre School perform an exclusive 'Wonderland' performance for Young Bristol members at Merchants Academy.

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We were thrilled to see a number of families, young people and affiliates come through the doors of Merchants Academy, to enjoy Bristol Old Vic Theatre Schools performance of 'Wonderland', created and performed by their second-year BA Acting students, who debuted their school tour for Young Bristol members!

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The story saw Alice tumble down a rabbit hole during a computer lesson, where she discovers a magical Wonderland filled with curious characters who seem strangely familiar. Through encounters with a White Rabbit, Cheshire Cat, and the fearsome Queen of Hearts, she embarks on a musical adventure that teaches her how to navigate her emotions and embrace her true self.

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"It was great to see the students stay in character so well throughout the whole performance. They engaged with the kids so well and used humour for all throughout. What an amazing performance, thank you!"

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We would like to thank Bristol Old Vic Theatre School for hosting this amazing performance for young people!

During the October half term, Young Bristol were pleased to host a 'Well-being and Social Action Festival' at Admiral House in Fishponds, Bristol, inviting local organisations to share about how the local young people and families can take care of their mental health.

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On Thursday 30th October, Young Bristol welcomed young people aged 10–20 and their families from the local community and across the city to engage with a number of exciting activities, encouraging and supporting their mental health and wellbeing.

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The event saw a number of local organisations and stallholders attend, who offered tailored support to our attendees — including yoga, boxing, music-making, and mental health service providers. It was also great to see young people from Youth Moves set up and deliver their own social action stall, where they made food and stress balls for everyone to enjoy!

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We would like to share a huge thanks to SNG and the #iwill Fund for funding this event and helping us to make it possible. Thank you to The Cause, Off The Record Bristol, Retreat Me Wellness, Youth Moves, NHS Talking Therapies and all the other local organisations that made this event such a success! Thank you to Lush Bristol, who kindly donated us a number of bath bombs that were included in our wellbeing goody bags.

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To find out more about accessing our programmes and services, click here!

Are you looking to take part in exciting activities this October Half Term? Young Bristol have a range of activities, events and opportunities for young people and the wider community! Find out below what's on in your local area this month!

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Outdoor Activities

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Our Outdoor Activity Programme will be running half day and full day Holiday Clubs during the October Half Term! Take part in our offer of up to 16 water and land based activities. Click here to secure your place!

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When: Wednesday 29th October-Thursday 30th October

Where: Pooles Wharf Outdoor Activity Centre

For: Ages 8-16

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‍Wellbeing and Social Action Festival

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The Wellbeing and Social Action Festival will see a variety of workshops, stalls and activities, including: Talk, Back and Sides; haircuts for young people, Yoga, make your own wellbeing packs and stress balls, wellbeing through music with ‘The Cause’ and stalls from local organisations. Supported by SNG. No booking required, just turn up!

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When: Thursday 30th October

Where: Admiral House, Manor Road, BS16 2EN

For: Ages 10-20

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Wonderland performance - performed by Bristol Old Vic Theatre School

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When Alice tumbles down a rabbit hole during a computer lesson, Alice discovers a magical Wonderland filled with curious characters who seem strangely familiar. Through encounters with a White Rabbit, Cheshire Cat, and the fearsome Queen of Hearts, she embarks on a musical adventure that teaches her how to navigate her emotions and embrace her true self. Booking required, click here to book your place.

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When: Friday 31st October, from 11:00am

Where: Merchants Academy, Gatehouse Avenue, BS13 9AJ

For: all the family, Key stage 1 & 2 students

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‍Also this month...

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Community Youth Clubs - For 8 – 19 year olds and are located in many areas across Bristol, open up to 4 nights per week. Each Club offers a safe and inclusive environment, staffed by caring, trained adults. Click here to find out more.

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Outdoor Employment Programme - Our free programme for young people aged 16-25 helps to develop new skills and gain nationally recognised qualifications in a variety of outdoor activities. Click here to find out more.

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Youth Club on Wheels - Our mobile youth service works with young people aged 8-19 in hard-to-reach areas of the city and rural areas where there is currently no youth provision. Click here to find out more.

We know that in the coming weeks and months, young people will need our Youth Clubs and programmes more than ever before; providing them with positive activities, support, advice and a safe place to go.

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Next year you can make a difference by taking on a challenge whilst supporting a local cause. Whether you want to take part in a fun run, build up your physical fitness with a half marathon, or push yourself to the limits with an Ultra challenge – grab your trainers and get fundraising!

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With your support at one of the following events, we can continue to provide vital opportunities for young people:

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• Winter Green Man Ultra - Saturday 26th March 2026, Bristol. Run the 30 or 45 mile route of the Winter Green Man Ultra. Pledge minimum - £350
• Bath Half Marathon - Sunday 15th March 2026, Bath. Race the 44th Bath Half Marathon in the heart of the World Heritage City of Bath. Pledge minimum - £250
• AJ Bell Bristol Run - Sunday 10th May 2026, Bristol. The AJ Bell Bristol Run returns offering 10K and Half Marathon routes. Pledge minimum - £250‍
• Cheddar Gorge Challenge - Sunday 14th June 2026, Bristol. Fun Runs of 1k and 3k, as well as 6k, 10k and Half Marathon routes. Pledge minimum - £250
• South West Tough Mudder - Saturday 15th August 2026, Gloucester. Take on the 10+ mile Tough Mudder course in 2026! Pledge minimum - £300

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Running for Young Bristol is straightforward and FREE! We'll cover the place cost for you, and you'll get your own complimentary Young Bristol branded vest to wear on the day. All we ask is you pledge to fundraise for us!

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With your help, we can continue to improve the lives of young people of Bristol and beyond! Click here to find out more and sign up for a third party fundraising event!

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What our previous runners had to say...

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"Fundraising for Young Bristol was a real priviledge. What's more, as soon as I explained to people what the charity does, and how it does it, they immediately 'got it' and could see how their finacial support would make a real difference in a real community"

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Justin, Bath Half Marathon runner

Last week, we were delighted to welcome the team from Unite Students to Ashton Vale Club for Young People where eight of their dedicated team members helped us to improve our facilities for young people.

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During their voluntary day, the team from Unite Students helped us with a number of outdoor tasks, where they spent the day in the clubs multi-sports court and around the clubs other external facilities. The team helped us with weeding, cleaning, cutting back brambles and sweeping around the club.

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“Unite Students get involved with volunteering days to support our positive impact goals and give back to local communities. Today’s been brilliant for team building and getting to know people we wouldn’t normally interact with. It felt great to take pride in the space, which we feel will have a great knock-on effect on the young people attending the club!”

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Aaron Ford and Chris Corns, Unite Students

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Thank you to everyone at Unite Students for helping us to create a safe, positive place where our young people can thrive! We appreciate your ongoing support!