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On Friday 13th March, we were delighted to welcome the team from Leggwork to The Grove @ Bedminster Down, where five of their dedicated team members helped us to improve our facilities for young people.

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The group spent their day taking care of the club’s outdoor spaces, helping at the club with weeding, gardening, and litter picking as well as planting new flowers into the clubs planters. Their hard work has made the area cleaner, more welcoming, and ready for young people to enjoy.

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“Volunteering at The Grove was a brilliant experience for the Leggwork team. Supporting Young Bristol a great deal to us, the opportunities and support they provide for young people in our community are genuinely life changing. It was a privilege to play a small part in improving a space that will continue to benefit the local community for years to come.”

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

Young Bristol were pleased to partner with the RYA and Bristol Maritime Academy to pilot a new marine career pathway for young people in Bristol, as part of the 'New Horizons Project'.

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The career pathway is the newest initiative of the 'New Horizons Project', which has been running across the Bristol area for over five years, introducing hundreds of young people from the ages of 10-20 to sailing and water sports, many of whom may not otherwise have had access to the water.

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This year, Young Bristol has supported the first cohort of 11 young adults from our Outdoor Employment Programme to complete its first year, undertaking a structured pathway designed to equip them with industry‑recognised RYA qualifications. Trainees achieved First Aid, Sea Survival, Marine Radio (SRC) and the RYA PPR (Professional Practices and Responsibilities) course alongside their Powerboat Level 2 certificates.

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These qualifications provide the full commercial endorsement, enabling our Trainees to operate powerboats professionally and making them valuable assets to employers across harbours, docks, waterway operations and a wide range of commercial marine environments.

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Work placements and employment pathways are being developed with the Bristol Harbour Master, local docks teams and Bristol Maritime, ensuring real opportunities for young people ready to take their next steps into marine work.

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Phil Harris, Outdoor Employment Programme Lead said:

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“The trainees Young Bristol's Outdoor Employment Programme have benefited immensely from this project. Thirteen young people facing barriers to employment have been given incredible opportunities through this training. Many have already secured job interviews and begun conversations with employers.

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The commitment and hard work shown by the trainees has been truly inspiring. Partnerships like this draw on the strengths of all organisations involved and create outcomes far greater than the sum of their parts. We are proud to be contributing to such an impactful project in Bristol.”

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Chris Eades, Founder of the Bristol Maritime Academy, added:

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“At Bristol Maritime, many of us started without family connections to the water, just a Powerboat Level 2 qualification and a passion for being outdoors on the waterways. Through The New Horizons Project, we’re proud to help people from Bristol and outside the sector get qualified and discover opportunities both globally and, on their doorstep, — from running workboats to supporting environmental projects and teaching others on the water.

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By linking this first cohort with organisations such as the Bristol Harbour Authority and our own water safety company, BM Safety, we’re helping them take their first real steps into careers on the water.”

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Rob Howlett, RYA Regional Manager added:

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“From windsurfing and dinghy sailing to keelboats and yachts, there are so many ways for young people in Bristol to get out on the water. These opportunities build confidence and give them practical skills that can naturally lead into local marine careers. Through the New Horizons Project, we’ve been able to bring community groups, clubs, trainers and employers together, showing that boating is truly accessible and can open doors for young people who might never have considered the sector.

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As interest grows, we’re now looking to expand the project to help even more employers find young people with recognised powerboat qualifications.”

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Young Bristol remains committed to ensuring that all young people can access meaningful opportunities, develop new skills and build brighter futures. If you would like to find out more about our Outdoor Employment Programme, and how you can get involved with projects similar to the 'New Horizons Project', click here!

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On Sunday 15th March, we were pleased to see Oli from Unite Students and four employees from Istoria Group sign up to the Bath Half Marathon to raise money for Young Bristol!

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The Bath Half Marathon is a 13 mile race, with the course following a two-lap route through the heart of Bath. The race is known for its scenic views and great spectator support, being one of the UK's most popular races.

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"This was my first half marathon, so it was brilliant to see how many people came out to support all the runners. Their support (and hi-fives), running with my lovely mum and knowing what an amazing cause I was supporting is what made me achieve a time that was well under my goal."

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said Oli Blacklidge ,Bath Half Marathon runner

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It has been amazing to see the five participants prepare for their exciting challenge, all while fundraising for our young people.

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Thank you to all our participants for taking part in the Bath Half Marathon to raise money for young people across Bristol - we appreciate your incredible support!

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If you are interested in taking part in a third party fundraising event for Young Bristol, click here and learn how you can help fundraise for us!

On Monday, we were delighted to welcome the team from Burges Salmon to Hartcliffe Club for Young People, where seven of their dedicated team members helped us to improve our facilities for young people.

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The group spent their day taking care of the club’s outdoor spaces, helping at the club with weeding, gardening, and litter picking to help keep the space well maintained. Their hard work has made the area cleaner, more welcoming, and ready for young people to enjoy.

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Some of the volunteers also helped us to paint the walls in the main hall space, making sure the walls had a blank canvas for young people to work on new graffiti.

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"We had a fantastic day volunteering with Young Bristol at Hartcliffe Club for Young People. It was really rewarding to make a difference to the outdoor space, and it was great to see the impact we made at the end of the day. The team really appreciated the opportunity to support such a wonderful local cause and contribute to the community.”

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

On Saturday 7th March, we were pleased to see James and Olie sign up to the Green Man Ultra Marathon to raise money for Young Bristol!

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The Green Man Ultra is a 30 or 45-mile ultramarathon that loops around the city of Bristol, following the Community Forest Path. The event is ran twice a year, with the winter event often featuring muddy conditions.

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It has been amazing to see James and Olie prepare for this exciting challenge, all while fundraising for our young people.

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Thank you to both of our participants for taking part in the Green Man Ultra Marathon - we appreciate your incredible support!

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If you are interested in taking part in a third party fundraising event for Young Bristol, click here and learn how you can help fundraise for us!

On Friday 6th March, we were delighted to welcome the team from Burges Salmon to BS14 Youth Club, where five of their dedicated team members helped us to improve our facilities for young people.

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The group spent their day taking care of the club’s outdoor spaces, helping at the club with weeding, gardening, and litter picking to help keep the space well maintained. Their hard work has made the area cleaner, more welcoming, and ready for young people to enjoy.

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"We had a fantastic day volunteering with Young Bristol at BS14 Youth Club. It was incredibly rewarding to make a difference to the outdoor space, and it was great to see the impact we made at the end of the day. The team really appreciated the opportunity to support such a wonderful local cause and contribute to the community.”

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

On Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th February, we were delighted to welcome the team from Burges Salmon to Ashton Vale Club for Young People, where 12 of their dedicated team members helped us to improve our facilities for young people.

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Two groups spent their days repainting the club’s walls, ensuring the same emerald colour continues throughout the building. The team also helped us rearrange our upstairs classroom and helped with some general tidying, making sure the space feels bright, welcoming, and ready for young people to enjoy.

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"We had a fantastic day volunteering with Young Bristol at Ashton Vale Club for Young People. It was incredibly rewarding to help transform the space with fresh paint, bringing a new colour and energy into the areas young people use every day. The team really appreciated the opportunity to support such a wonderful local cause and contribute to the community.”

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

This February Half Term, Young Bristol offered a wide range of activities for all young people to take part in. From sporting to creative activities, we’ve had something for everyone!

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This week, we hosted an Interclub Football Tournament at St Brendan's Rugby Football Club, welcoming over 70 young people from across our club network to take part. The day brought together young people from Ashton Vale Club for Young People, BS14 Youth Club, Hartcliffe Club for Young People and The Grove @Bedminster Down.

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The Interclub tournament started with teams playing 4-5 minute matches in a round-robin format, with supporters cheering on their teams from the sidelines.

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After some intense matches, it was announced that BS14 Youth Club and The Grove @ Bedminster Down would play against each other for the junior trophy and both teams from Ashton Vale Club for Young People for the senior trophy!

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We are proud to announce that BS14 Youth Club won our junior trophy and Ashton Vale Club for Young People were awarded our senior trophy. Well done to all the young people who took part. It was fantastic to see them interacting and making new friends, as well as engaging other young people from across the city!

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At Young Bristol, young people are at the heart of everything we do. By continuing to offer youth‑led programmes across the city, we’re able to open doors, build confidence, and create long‑lasting trust with the thousands of young people we support every day.

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We would like to thank St Brendan's Rugby Football Club for facilitating our football tournament. To find out more about our Community Youth Clubs, click here!

We are thrilled to share that three trainees from our Outdoor Employment Programme have successfully passed their 'Go Aloft!' Instructor Training programme!

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Our Outdoor Employment Programme is an entirely free programme, targetting young people aged 16 - 25 with barriers to employment. The programme helps young people to develop new skills, gain nationally recognised qualifications and build positive futures into employment.

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After considerable training with Young Bristol's Outdoor Employment Programme, a group of three trainees have passed their High Ropes Instructor Assessment and will now work with SS Great Britain's 'Go Aloft! experience, supporting thousands of people to climb the rigging of the ship!

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'It's fantastic to be working with Young Bristol again to bring Go Aloft back to Brunel's SS Great Britain. Not only is this a unique and awe-inspiring outdoor experience for seafarers and landlubbers alike, it's also a long-lasting partnership between two Bristol charities which continues to enable young people to gain qualifications, skills and experience in the world of work.'

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said Liam Tolhurst, Deputy Director - Commercial & Operations at the SS Great Britain Trust

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Our partnership with SS Great Britain

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We know that through real collaborations and partnerships, initiatives such as the Outdoor Employment Programme continue to change the lives of young people across Bristol.

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Following our 10+ years of collaboration, the SS Great Britain have directly supported over 70 of our Trainees through the 'Go Aloft! programme, which has seen around 15,000 people climb the rigging of the iconic ship!

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Through our collaboration with the Go Aloft programme, we have seen over 90% of those employed through the partnership remain in employment or move into full time education, which is an incredible testament to both the programme and our partnership!

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"Working with Young Bristol on the SS Great Britain is by far one of the most rewarding training programmes I have been part of over the last 10 years. This programme has been created by one of the most energized and empathetic charities there is.

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Phil, who leads the programme, provides the inspiration and support to make it succeed. I have seen young adults find a footpath into outdoor education and then going on to flourish and grow both professionally and as individuals. Well done SSGB and young people for providing this opportunity to work on Go Aloft."

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said Rod Baber, Owner of RDB High Ropes Operation Services, providing training on SS Great Britains 'Go Aloft!' programme.

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The Outdoor Employment Programmes impact!

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Since the launch of our Outdoor Employment Programme in 2013, we have changed the lives of over 300 young people from ‘NEET’ (Not in Education, Employment,or Training) backgrounds or those ‘at risk’. Over 80% of trainees, since joining the programme, have started further education or employment within the first year – an incredible accomplishment.

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The Outdoor Employment Programme has provided a vital lifeline for young people from many backgrounds, including during times of homelessness, and young carers who have the responsibility of looking after family members. Our programme gives young people the mentoring, skills and tools they need to successfully navigate their way back into education or employment; through long term, stable support they can rely on.

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“The programme definitely came at the right time. It helped me to experience what it was like to hold down a job and raised my self-confidence.” 

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said Dan, former Outdoor Employment Programme Trainee

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The hundreds of young people that have passed through this programme will agree that the programme is truly life-changing! If you would like to join our Outdoor Employment Programme, click here to find out more information and sign up!

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