Publicising Positive Activities Project

www.Activities4u.org website now officially launched!

Over 100 young people came to celebrate the launch of the new activities4u website at Athena on Monday 31st March. The website gives young people instant access to information about activities they can get involved in locally.

Taster sessions ran throughout the day to give young people the chance to check out the type of activities they can find out about on www.activities4u.org. Taster sessions included basketball skills, street dance, dance mats, art, circus skills, music production, samba drumming and a climbing wall!

In addition over 30 activity providers were on hand to chat with young people and give them information about their activities. There was something for everyone among the range of activity providers who were there. Young people could find out about:

• Youth organisations, such as Girlguiding and the Sea Cadets.

• Volunteering opportunities through the Focus ‘V involved team’ and Ground work.

• Sports opportunities from the Leicester Shire and Rutland Sports Partnership.

• Activities running at the City and County Youth and Community centres and libraries.

• Opportunities to get involved in the youth councils and parliaments.

• Arts activities available through ‘Arts in Education'.

Everyone at the launch was treated to a spectacular opening ceremony where guest speakers Penny Hajek (from Leicester City Council Children and Young People’s Services) and Cllr Peter Osborne (from Leicestershire County Council) officially launched the website followed by an amazing line up of stage acts. The audience bopped along to familiar tunes from ‘4 Punk Kidz’ a young guitar band and tapped their feet to the samba drumming sound of the ‘Fuzed’ performers. Everyone was mesmerised by a mini-movie made in a week by young people from the Wing Production House project, and were amazed by the rap act finale. The ceremony was all expertly held together by Anick and Amy – 2 DJs from Takeover Radio.

It is hoped that the A4u website will increase young people’s participation in activities across the city and county. Participation can have a huge positive impact on the lives of young people, increasing their self confidence, and reducing their risk of involvement in anti-social behaviour.

The success of the website is entirely owed to a group of young people who have been heavily involved in the development of the website and the publicity campaign. They have chosen the name, the design and produced a commercial advertising the website which you can view below if you have access to YouTube:

The website is the product of the Publicising Positive Activities project which is led by Connexions and funded jointly by the City and County Youth Services.

Please contact Jo Pudney, Project Manager if you have any queries. jpudney@connnexions-leics.org