Information Services
The Information Shop offers young people advice and guidance on issues that affect them. It provides a safe and confidential environment for young people to access workshops and activities relevant to their needs.
Features and Benefits
The Information Shop houses:
|
|
- A large comfortable drop-in area.
|
|
|
- A conference/training room that can accommodate up to 15 people comfortably for meetings, activity workshops or training courses.
|
|
 |
Conference Room
|
|
|
An up to the minute Digilab where young people can access free internet service, video conferencing, digital cameras and music technology, to name but a few. |
There will be qualified staff on hand during these times to run workshops in the Digilab and the drop-in, provide one to one support and offer relevant and up-to-date information when requested.
How does this project/scheme/event differ from others?
This is a new initiative in the Borough and the Information Shop will also be providing Information Points around the Borough that young people can access in their areas such as libraries, schools and youth clubs. This will enable young people to access vital information during out of hours opening times for the shop or if they have transport problems from their areas during the evenings etc.
So far the Info Shop supports all of the Digilabs within the Borough as Information Zones:-
- Coed Y Derwyn Digilab at Coed Y Derwyn Primary School
- Troedyrhiw Digilab at the Boys & Girls Club
- Treharris Digilab at the Boys & Girls Club
- Bedlinog Digilab at the Resource Centre
Contact details for these Digilabs can be found at the Information Shop on:
 |
(01685) 727080/81 |
Further Information Points/Zones can also be found at:-
- Pen y Dre Community Education Centre.
- The Mobile Street Based Project
- The central library has an unmanned stand in the foyer.
How successful has it been to date?
The project is proving to be a huge success:-
- Music workshops
- Drug/Alcohol Awareness raising workshops.
- Sexual Health Workshops
- Condom Card Scheme Drop in Sessions twice per week
- Emotional Well Being workshops
- Cultural workshops
- Smoking Cessation Group
- One to one support
- Fundraising events
- Active citizenship
- Issue based film projects
- European Volunteering Service – the project has provided a placement for two years for volunteers from Europe. We have had two long term volunteers to date (11 months). Two young people have also been sent out to different European countries to complete short term volunteering projects (3 weeks).
- The Info Shop is also used as a work based learning placement by Tydfil Training Consortium and Merthyr College. To date we have had 7 trainees from Merthyr College ranging from 1 week to 3 months and 5 Trainees from Tydfil Training ranging from 1 week to 6 months.
- OCN Accreditation on a variety of courses
- Information Display stands for National events such as World Aids Day, No Smoking Day, Sun Awareness, Variety of Health Events.
- Referrals and Signposting to relevant organisations for young people
- Leisure activities such as Football Tournaments, Outdoor Education, Talent Showcase.
- The Information Service supports and promotes National Youth Work Week
| Digilab |
 |
The Digilab accommodates up to 10 people at a time and this has been used regularly by staff and young people to run workshops to help with collage/school work, internet research, setting up email accounts for young people, music workshops, T-shirt printing workshops, Credu Portal, National competitions and quizzes. To date we have four winners from the National Credu Portal competitions – 3 young people have won a DVD and one young person has won a pen tab computer.
The Digilab is also used regularly by other departments and organisations with young people such as Social Services, Merthyr College, Biz Inc, Options, Princess Trust.
What are the plans for the future?
To continue to develop the Information shop and the Information Points around the Borough. It is envisioned that a Satellite Info Point will be developed within each ward.
- To work in partnership with any organisation that is responsible for the well-being of adults and young people.
- To recruit volunteers for the drop-in-centre and the Digilab.
For further information please contact:
 |
Youth Information Workers |
|
(01685) 727080/81 |