Source Cafe, Aldershot
Rushmoor borough in Hampshire contains four of Hampshire’s most deprived wards, areas classed as being within the 20% most deprived areas of England in terms of health standards. Located in the borough, Aldershot has a high rate of alcohol and substance misuse among young people, coupled with joblessness and a high teen pregnancy rate.
The Source Cafe was set up to respond to these issues. The idea was to provide a safe place for young people to go in the evening, free from drugs and alcohol.
'One of the most important ways of attracting people is through word of mouth. Other young people come down and use the facility and they meet volunteers whose heart is for young people, listening to young people, accepting them where they’re at and wanting to see good things happen for them.' Natalie Cooper, project worker.
The cafe runs mentoring and anger management sessions, as well as a young mums programme, a football team and an after school club for 10-13 year olds run by older teenagers.
For Natalie, the sessions the cafe runs are crucial to the young people’s development:
'We’re spending a lot of time getting to know young people, building relationships with them so that they can hopefully be in a position where they can volunteer at the end of it. I feel that’s setting them up in a positive way to moving on to employment. I want to see them moving forward and making better choices.'
Through our provision of investment and resources, people like Natalie can begin to create sustainable change. Many more communities need this kind of multi-faceted investment to develop tools to combat poverty now and in years to come.
Please help us to ensure people in your region have the support they need.
