New funding helps Youth Options continue Street Reach youth work across Basingstoke
We’re pleased to share that Youth Options has received further funding from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council through its Strengthening Communities Grant, helping us continue providing accessible youth work for young people across Basingstoke.
Through our Street Reach sessions, our youth workers meet young people where they are – in their local communities and familiar places, making it easier for them to access support, build positive relationships and get involved.
For some young people, getting to a traditional youth centre or organised activity isn’t always easy. Street Reach helps bring youth work into local communities, removing some of the barriers that can prevent young people from getting support.
Our youth workers provide a friendly, welcoming face in the places young people already spend time. Sessions give young people the opportunity to talk, ask questions, try something new, spend time with friends and simply have a safe space to be themselves.
It’s also about building relationships. By regularly being present in local communities, our youth workers can get to know young people and understand what matters to them. Over time, those relationships can help young people feel more confident asking for support when they need it.
Street Reach is youth-led, too. Young people have a voice in what happens during sessions and can help shape the activities and support on offer. Whether they want to get involved in an activity, talk to a youth worker, develop a new skill or just have somewhere positive to spend time, there’s space for them.
Where and when can you find us?
Our Street Reach youth work currently takes place across Oakridge, South Ham and Copley:
Mondays
- Oakridge: 3pm – 5:30pm & 5:30pm – 8:30pm
- South Ham: 5:30pm – 8:30pm
Thursdays
- Oakridge & Copley: 3pm – 6pm
The sessions are open and accessible, giving young people the opportunity to drop in, meet our youth workers and find out what’s happening in their local area. You can see where else Street Reach is running here.
Supporting stronger communities
Funding like the Strengthening Communities Grant helps make this work possible. It means our youth workers can continue showing up in local communities, building trusted relationships and creating opportunities for young people to feel connected, supported and heard.
We know that when young people have access to trusted adults, positive opportunities and safe spaces, they have more opportunities to develop their confidence, make positive choices and shape their own futures.
We’re grateful to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council for supporting this work and helping us continue to engage, develop and empower young people to achieve a better future.
