- 07957 112260
- uptownyouthservices@gmail.com
- 21 Leyton Road, London, SW19 1DJ
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About Us
Core Philosphy
The core philosophy of Uptown Youth Services is to provide a safe space for young people to meet up with friends outside of school hours. We offer them positive role models and one to one mentoring when needed. The organisation focuses on encouraging members to stay in school and make better life choices. Uptown Youth Services is dedicated to creating an environment where young people can thrive, develop their social skills, and receive the support they need to navigate life’s challenges.
We offer after school clubs on Wednesday and Friday afternoons from 6-9pm, and on Saturdays from 4-7pm. These sessions are generally attended by 11–18 year olds (up to 25 years for those with additional needs).
We also offer a dance/movement session on Tuesday afternoons from 4–6pm. These sessions are generally attended by 6 – 11 year olds.
Our age policies are flexible as we try to facilitate the needs and interest from parents where possible with respect to the involvement of younger siblings so would include: ages 6-18 (and up to 25 for able young people with disability status).
The core philosophy of Uptown is to provide mentoring to the young people – providing them with positive role models and helping them to ‘see another way’ and make better life choices.
Sessions are delivered by Joan Simms, the CEO of Uptown Youth Services, supported by two or three qualified youth workers and/or volunteers. Highly experienced, and well respected locally, Joan has been the driving force throughout Uptown’s history.
Life Skills
Provision includes workshops covering areas such as budgeting, health, cooking, substance misuse, alcohol, domestic violence, mental health, bullying and anger management. Our Red Cross First Aid training is tailored to specific issues such as knife crime.
Social Activities
Within a fully inclusive youth club environment Uptown provides a safe venue to get young people off the streets and develop their social skills, meet with friends (and make new ones), play pool and partake in activities such as music, dance and drama, sports, and arts and craft.
Mentoring
Young people who are having difficulty at school are supported through one to one mentoring to support their individual attendance or issues they are having with behaviour, bullying, home and social life. Year 11’s are tracked to make sure they have secured education, training or employment placements, and the younger children, (years 6 and 7) are supported and peer mentored through their transition into secondary school.