South Tyneside Women's charity hail summer programme a success

Bright Futures Young Women’s Charity, founded in 2012 received funding from the Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland to deliver a six-week programme to young women across South Tyneside.

During the six weeks, Bright Futures have engaged with a total of 219 individuals and delivered 127 individual sessions including activities, one to one support, group work and detached work in areas with higher levels of anti-social behaviour.

The programme was aimed at providing children and young people with an enriching and enjoyable summer experience; offering a wide range of activities designed to foster personal growth, learning, and social development.

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The programme was carefully curated to strike the balance between education and entertainment, keeping young minds engaged during their break from school while ensuring they were able to learn and grow in a supportive environment.

Bright Futures worked in partnership with many local businesses and organisations to offer an array of activities enabling young women to explore their interests, develop new skills whilst making lasting memories.

The activities included rock climbing, surfing, running, rock-pooling, star bakers, yoga and more offering something for everyone.

While the programme emphasizes fun and enjoyment, it also places a strong emphasis on educational enrichment.

Bright Futures believes that learning should be an integral part of every experience, even during summer breaks. Therefore, the programme incorporates educational elements into each activity to ensure participants continue to expand their knowledge and skills.

As well as providing the various activities, Bright Futures worked in partnership with Soul Food Mission, a new healthy food prep company in South Shields who provided breakfast and lunch options daily to all young people attending the activities.

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Project Manager Dominique Hendry said: “Participating in the Bright Futures summer programme offers numerous benefits for children and teenagers.

"Firstly, it provides a structured and supervised environment where young people can engage in meaningful activities, whilst exploring their interests and stepping out of their comfort zones.

The young people have the opportunity to meet new people who share similar interests, and the young women are constantly engaged in learning, even while having fun.”