Projects
SE1 United runs projects, activities and events with the sole aim of improving the environment and opportunities for young people in Waterloo. Here are just a few…
Opening Doors: To help young people who are about to leave school or who have left school find work by helping them write a CV, write application forms, improve their interview techniques and gain work experience.
Crime and Safety Sessions: These sessions run in youth clubs in Lambeth and Southwark. They aim to improve young people’s understanding of their rights, and their means to stay safe on the street.
Waterloo Youth Strategy Group: Set up to improve the communication between youth organizations in Waterloo, it meets every quarter to help reduce duplication of activities and challenge gaps in provision and encourage partnership work.
Sports Day: This event takes place every summer in Archbishop’s Park and attracts over 800 people. The day informs young people about the activities available to them through-out the summer, to encourage them to get involved in healthy activities, and to have fun! The event is organized by a group of young people aged between 14-17 years and involves over 30 young volunteers.
Leadership Programme: A project initiated by the need for young men aged 14-19 to improve their employability, confidence and their sense of direction and identity. It involves in weekly sessions at Living Space and challenging residential trips.
Girls Activities: Started by young women’s aspiration to have a space where they could participate in activities that they felt uncomfortable doing in front of their male peers, it is run weekly in the Coin Street Community Centre. This also involves peer led dance and fashion projects.
Youth Oskar Awards: Initiated by an 18 year old and developed in response to the negative perceptions of young people that widely exist. In 2010, the YOA took place in Southbank Centre and celebrated the positive achievements of over 50 young people from London who had been nominated by their peers for excelling in academia or in sport, or who had a positive impact on their community.
Homework Club: Provides tutoring for young people of all ages who need extra support in their studies, often with no IT access or sufficient parental support at home. It runs from Southbank Centre for 8 hours a week and improves the educational attainment of over 70 young people..
Arts and Media Projects: Run in partnership with many artists and organizations to produce youth led performances, exhibitions, films and pieces of public art.
The SE1 United youth committee also showcases the work of young people at public meetings including the South Bank Forum. This presents a positive view of young people, gives them a voice, increases their self-respect and self-confidence and raises their profile in the community. We also provide youth research, consultation and conference speakers.
Project Management
SE1 United’s youth committee meetings take place every month and are chaired by a young person. Their aim is to identify gaps in youth provision, apply for funding, decide which events and activities should shape the SE1 United agenda, and help business/ community organisations become more attuned to the needs of young people.
Who Works For SE1 United
SE1 United employs two full-time staff and several sessional members of staff:
The Project Director, Natalie Bell, has managed community led projects for six years and is a Coin Street Community Builders director. She has been involved with SE1 United since the beginning in 2002 and has a degree in Informal Education. She has extensive experience working with young people across London and specialises in youth research, art workshops, youth led projects and young women’s work. She is responsible for fundraising and strategic management of SE1 United and line managing the staff.
The Activities Manager, Jacob Whittingham has worked for SE1 United for five years and is studying a PhD researching identity in mixed parentage young people. Jacob has developed several innovative youth projects covering issues such as preventing gun crime, gang conflicts and building self-esteem in young men. He has worked for a variety of organisations including Brent Youth Offending Team and sits on the Metropolitan Police Authority Stop and Search Review Panel.
SE1 United presently employs over 20 Sessional Youth Workers and volunteers from the community including 5 young trainees. All staff employed by SE1 United are interviewed by members of the Youth Committee.