assisting young people through their adolescent development
SWAY stands for Sudbury, Wembley, Alperton Youth and was first formed in Sept 2003 by a group of 7 local churches rooted within a multi-cultural and multi-faith part of Brent. The aims of our work is to provide young people within the community with opportunities to enhance their personal development.
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SWAY project is open to all members of the community who fall within the category of young people regardless of their faith, ethnicity or any other protected characteristic.
SWAY project recognises how young people today face many challenges such as social exclusion, poverty, mental health, education, employment, violence, drugs/alcohol, sexual behaviour, media and peer pressure, the list can seem endless. SWAY’s approach supports young people through their own adolescent development, taking each challenge as a learning experience. This includes facilitating their learning and understanding about themselves, others and society, helping them develop stronger relationships and respecting and valuing differences. Our approach is holistic as our aim is to engage and support the whole person (physical, emotional, mental educational and spiritual). Our starting point is based on the needs of the young person with emphasis on the relationships we form through the social activities provided. This also assists in reducing anti-social behaviour and works towards improving participants mental health and well-being. Our services fit within the Contextual Safeguarding approach, supporting young people and at times their families through even the most challenging of situations.
We encourage our young people to take on active roles in the delivery of our services as either Youth Representatives, Volunteering or as paid staff as a Young Leader. Through these roles young people are able to actively contribute to the design, development and delivery of our services.
SWAY is a member of the following organisations
Young Brent Foundation – set up by John Lyon’s Charity to address local needs YBF is an umbrella membership organisation, developed for the benefit of all youth providers across the borough of Brent. Supporting voluntary sector organisations, working with children and young people in the Borough at a time Brent faces severe challenges and funding cuts. And a time, where the need for young people’s services in Brent has never been greater. A key founding aims of the community led, Young People’s Foundation is to create an innovative flagship and partnership model that unites a fragmented and diverse voluntary youth sector, and creates a strong united voice, equipping members with the training, resources and financial support they need to increase overall capacity and develop a more sustainable future to benefit young people.
London Youth – Founded in 1887 because the individual youth organisations of the day knew that they were stronger and could achieve more for young people by working together. Since then, much has changed for young Londoners, but the need to work together is more pressing than ever. Working with youth organisations to offer young people a wide range of high-quality opportunities for learning and fun and to build strong trusted relationships with adults and their peers. Providing a united voice and support for community youth organisations and youth workers across the capital.
SWAY project is run by a group of Trustees who employ staff to carry out the objectives of SWAY.
Our qualified and experienced staff are from the local community, having relatable lived out experiences to that of the young people we engage with, such as challenges around identity, education, anti-social behaviour etc and use their experiences to support young people overcome their challenges. Young people who take up our various youth roles positions are also representative from within our local community as it is an integral part of SWAY to include our young people in the design, development, and delivery of our services.
Projects & Youth Leader – Samantha Scott
“As a mother of two grown-up children and a grandmother to three grandchildren I have hands on experience of raising children in today’s society. I have always had a desire to work with children and young people and this was initially lived out through my voluntary roles of running a youth club and helping out in my children’s schools even being a parent Governor. It was only in 2010 that I decided to dedicate my time to working with children and young people and I returned to education as a mature learner and achieved the qualification of a BA Honours Degree in Youth Work & Ministry (JNC recognised). I see my work with young people as a calling and not just a job.
I have over 20 years’ experience of working in Local Government which includes over 15 years of Managing Watford Indoor Market and Charter Place Shopping Centre, over 15 years’ experience of working with young people in a voluntary capacity. In all these roles I have gained transferable skills that I am able to put to good use in supporting children and young people”
Mentor – Lorraine
Mentor – Tashan
Young Leader – Savannah
Young Leader – Deborah
Young Leader – Shaynay Marie
Young Leader – Callum
Samantha – sam@swayproject.co.uk – 07889 174 437
St John’s Community Centre
Crawford Ave
Wembley
Middsex
HA0 2HX
Registration No.: 5224768 | Charity Commission No.: 1108095