The need for a charity for young people in Winchester emerged from the local homeless and night shelter projects. Many of the adults using these services had experienced difficulties in childhood and were at risk of unemployment and homelessness before they had reached 16, and so, in 1983 the charity was formed.
The charity was called ‘Winchester Detached Youth Work Project’ whose core work was to reach out into the community to get to know and understand young people and their needs in order that support could be offered. This ‘detached’ (non-centre based) approach to working with young people was not commonplace at the time, but is now widely regarded as an effective way to reach out to young people with unmet needs that are not engaging with other services. We have been well-placed to identify and respond to the changing needs of individuals and the wider community ever since.
In 2004, the young people using the service at the time felt that the charity name was outdated and so they chose ‘Street Reach’ as the re-branded name of the charity.
In recent years, we have achieved steady and sustained growth and our outreach work now takes place in four communities in Winchester every week. We have expanded the scope of our work by taking on the delivery of youth provision at Micheldever Youth Club, a club providing vital support and opportunities to young people in this rural area of Winchester. Alongside our core work, Street Reach are committed to offering targeted projects and experiences that engage, inform and challenge the young people we work with.
Our work with young people is always on a voluntary basis and our approach is founded upon building relationships over time. Through listening to the young people we work with, we are able to adapt and respond to their needs in order to provide effective support. We work in partnership with the young people to design creative and engaging projects.
The staff and trustees at Street Reach have a variety of backgrounds and skills. Our team are trained, experienced and passionate about working with young people.
Dave Stow took over from Jackie Porter as Chair of Trustees at the end of 2018 saying “that’s a big pair of shoes to fill”, and aims to enable Street Reach to continue and grow the great work it is doing. Dave has been a trustee of Street Reach for over three years and has also been a trustee of the local branch of the Samaritans and a volunteer at the Samaritans in the past. He works for Ordnance Survey in his day job.
Simon Hughes is the Vice-chair of Trustees. He moved to Micheldever, Hampshire in 1996. Married Belinda in 1998 and we have two sons, Jamie and Andrew. I chose a fulfilling career as an engineer (I was always taking things apart as a child) and spent my early professional life on water treatment projects, moving at the start of this millennium, to providing mobile phone networks at a local company. I have always been involved in some form of voluntary work, previously using my engineering skills to build gadgets to help disabled people through the “Remap” charity, organising events for an environmental charity, or being a former governor of my local primary school. Presently I help out at various local village events in Micheldever as well as being a trustee for Street Reach.
Katy is our Treasurer and has enabled us to plan our work by devising a bespoke accounting spreadsheet to monitor our annual spending, thereby ensuring that we keep to our budgets. She is also very active in Micheldever where our youth club is held, holding various roles including Parish Councillor and Trustee of the local Pre-school.
Jackie was the Chair of Trustees for fifteen years, recently handing over to Dave Stow, and has been a trustee of Street Reach for nearly twenty years now! She has a role at the County Council involving children and gets involved day to day with safeguarding, education and social care of children from aged two to 18. Jackie is also the Chair of a number of other local charities, including a Pre-school and a walking charity.
Jackie’s decision to become involved with Street Reach happened after she was asked to consider being a magistrate. “I decided not to become a magistrate but instead, work with a charity that develops young people to their full potential and gives them a chance. I am really proud that with the help of our stunning staff, that is exactly what we do!”
Daisy is Community Development Manager for Eastleigh Youth & Community Trust. She specialises in youth and disability focused projects alongside managing a thriving community centre. Daisy previously managed Street Reach from 2008-2011 and has been a Trustee since 2011. Prior to this she worked free-lance delivering dance and drama activities for children and adults with disabilities. Daisy has extensive experience in volunteer management and is currently studying part-time for a PhD, researching peer-buddy volunteering for children with disabilities. Daisy brings her voluntary sector experience with significant knowledge of youth work, disability and volunteer management.
My background is in the heritage sector, curating and managing local museums. I have had particular experience running community arts and culture projects; working with artists and other educators to encourage those who do not normally engage in the sector to invest in their local environment and heritage.
As the mother of two girls I am very aware of the pressures on young women and am interested in how Street Reach can help address these issues with those they encounter.
I am a mother of 4 and now a grandmother of 5. Before retiring I was Head of History at a comprehensive school in Southampton. Because of my background I am very enthusiastic about being involved in a charity which is there to support young people. Since May 2016 I have been a Winchester City Councillor for the ward which includes Winnall, (where Street Reach has an outreach programme, delivering detached youth work sessions on Tuesday evenings). I have enjoyed becoming more involved in the community of Winnall and can bring this experience to my role of Trustee at Street Reach.