 
Worth
Unlimited
Macclesfield
is a development
of the Cre8
Youth and
Community
Project based
at St.Barnabas
church on
the Moss
Rose estate.
Cre8 began
in the summer
of 2005 as
an initiative
of Churches
Together
in Macclesfield
who wanted
to serve
the community
by doing
something
positive
in an area
with the
worst reputation
in the town.
Macclesfield
is a high
wealth generating
area on the
edge of the
Peak District;
yet there
are many
young people
here who
rarely leave
the estate.
The relative
poverty and
poverty of
experience
here can
cause profound
difficulties
for young
people. Because
the estate
is small
(around 680
dwellings)
and we are
surrounded
by such affluence;
we struggle
to be recognised
as a deprived
area; to
many people
we simply
don’t
exist.
“I
worked with
one young
man aged
17 who hadn’t
left the
house for
3 years because
he’d
been so badly
bullied,
when he came
out with
me the skin
on his face
turned red
as it hadn’t
seen daylight
for so long.” Says
Branch Director
Rob Wardle.
“Becoming
a branch
of Worth
Unlimited
has given
us resources,
support and
direction.
Six months
ago we were
a small project
with concerns
about how
we could
survive let
alone develop;
now, as a
branch of
Worth Unlimited,
we are suddenly
a part of
something
bigger and
the future
looks much
brighter.”
Here
are details
of some
of the
project’s
activities:
Club
Nights.
We
hold a weekly
club night
for 11 – 15
year olds
with activities
such as:
• Healthy
cooking and
eating.
• Drama.
• Arts
and Crafts.
• Modelling.
Up to 20
young people
every week
enjoy the
club night,
we also welcome
up to eight
volunteer
adults to
help out
with this
group, this
means that
quality dialogue
can take
place, informal
mentoring
and positive
role modelling
are features
of the group
dynamics.
Once a month
we cook a
meal together
and sit down
to eat, this
is an activity
chosen by
the young
people themselves
which is
quite remarkable
considering
that when
we started
the group
it was difficult
to get the
young people
to sit down
at all! See
the photo
gallery.
Off
beat.
This
is a new
initiative
for the project.
Commencing
in the Autumn
of 2007 we
will be starting
outreach
work with
young people
not already
accessing
the Club
Night and
those who
are at risk
of anti-social
behaviour.
Activities
will be accredited
and include
rock climbing,
hill walking
and biking.
Barnies.
In
the spring
of 2006 we
were asked
to develop
a Garden
Project at
the local
Poolswood
Family Centre.
The derelict
ground behind
the centre
had been
identified
as an area
which could
be turned
into a garden
and play
area for
children
and families
using the
centre. We
recruited
a team of
adult volunteers
who worked
alongside
young people
who for a
variety of
reasons were
not in education,
employment
or training;
all were
also known
to the police
or had criminal
records.
These young
people worked
tirelessly
and transformed
the area
into a superb
resource
for the community.
The success
of this project
has led in
turn to the
development
of a permanent
garden project
on land behind
St.Barnabas
church. This
project,
known as ‘Barnies’ is
now under
way; it will
include an
allotment
garden, orchard
and an amenity
garden. The
project is
will be linked
to ‘World
Worth Living
In’ ,
the hope
being that
in the future,
some of the
older young
people will
be able to
form a community
enterprise
based on
the project.
See
the photo
gallery.
Residentials.
We
are committed
to providing
at least
two residential
experiences
for young
people accessing
the project
annually.
For the past
few years
one of these
has been
a week long
stay at the
Iona Community’s
Camas Centre
in North
West Scotland.
These residentials
are a key
part of the
work of the
Cre8 project.
Positive
relationships
are built
and young
people with
differing
learning
styles are
able to thrive
in the non-threatening,
peaceful
outdoor environment.
See
the photo
gallery.
Initiate.
An
important
part of our
work is the
mentoring
of young
offenders
and young
adult offenders.
We are pioneering
work with
these young
people in
terms of
developing
a ‘rites
of passage’ programme
which will
enable such
young people
to make a
secure transition
into adulthood.
This work
involves
partnership
with family
members and
agencies
involved
with the
young people,
often in
difficult
circumstances.
We are also
working to
develop a
voluntary
mentoring
project based
on the identification
and training
of suitable
adult and
peer mentors
to act as
positive
role models
for young
people making
the transition
from school
years 6 to
7. See the
photo gallery.
In
Partnership.
Cre8
hosts the ‘Moss
Rose Young
People’s
Group’,
a sub-group
of the Local
Authority’s
Commissioning
and Delivery
Board. Meeting
once a month
this group
has representation
from professionals,
young people
and adults
in the community.
It is providing
an important
interface
between young
people and
professionals.
We regularly
have police,
housing and
ASBO officers
meeting young
people; the
atmosphere
is often
lively but
always constructive!
Mark Gaffney,
manager of
the local
NCH Family
Centre and
Moss Rose
Children’s
Centre says “Cre8
is an essential
part of the
mechanism
for what
we are trying
to do on
the estate;
it’s
great to
have like
minded people
working in
partnership
with us”.
Final
Word goes
to Rob, “Transformational
partnerships
is what we’re
about; at
Worth Unlimited
in Macclesfield
we believe
we’ve
got something
that works
and we want
to spread
it, not just
amongst the
young people
but also
amongst the
volunteers
and agencies
that we work
with as well.”
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