Upcycling the Way Forward
Local Youth Group move towards sustainability
NAB Youth group based at St Fagans Community Hall in Trecynon are moving towards financial and environmental sustainability thanks to support from The Coalfields Regeneration Trust and Renew Wales.
“The group were looking for innovative ways to raise funds that would give them some financial security moving forward – the young people came up with the idea of creating and selling ‘upcycled’ goods so we levered in support from a mentor at Renew Wales to help the group put their ideas into action” explained Natalie Sargent – Development Officer at The Coalfields Regeneration Trust.
The NAB Youth Group received advice and guidance from a craft provider who delivered a workshop to help the young people design and produce items that would appeal to a wide market. The group have already made some sales at their Christmas Market – helping them to launch their new venture. They will be receiving additional support from Renew Wales to create and develop a business plan and marketing strategy to help them move from strength to strength.
“The young people also enjoyed making the items and learning about upcycling. The hours that they have spent on the project could also be used towards their Welsh Baccalaureate Community Challenge “ suggested Natalie Sargent. One young person, Laini stated “I’ve enjoyed upcycling as I have learnt that you can make anything beautiful.” Emily Lewis added “It’s really important to get more money as all our leaders work really hard, it would be a shame if we had to stop activities due to a lack of funds.”
The Club was created as a place for young people to go on a Friday evening, and actively encourages positive relationships between young people and their community. Janice Vardon, Youth Leader commented “We are really pleased the young people have committed to making this club a success – as the club grows in popularity we are keen for more people in the community to attend, or volunteer to ensure that the club continues to support young people both now and future generations”
NAB Youth and Community Group – NAB stands for ‘Not All Bad’ as the group wanted to challenge peoples perception of young people. They meet on a Friday night 6-8:30pm at St Fagan’s Community Hall, Trecynon. They are looking for new volunteers who are interested in supporting young people, or looking for a career in Youth Work.
The Coalfields Regeneration Trust provided the group with £548 to enable them to have two craft workshops and materials to kick start their venture. They also brought in the support from a Renew Wales Mentor to help with the business planning.
Renew Wales supports community based action on climate change across Wales.
