Blog
Written by Lucie Vickers, Head of Volunteering & Youth Voice, StreetGames
From 28th October to 1st November 2024, against the beautiful backdrop of the Brathay Hall estate in the Lake District, 50 young volunteers from 12 community organisations came together for our #NextGen Residential.
#NextGen is rooted in 15 years of experience in ‘what works’ when encouraging young people living in underserved communities to volunteer and take social action. It is designed to provide young people with the tools they need to make a lasting difference to themselves and their community, empowering them to support their local areas while broadening their horizons by collaborating with and learning from other regions, helping them identify and achieve their goals. Residentials offer the ideal environment for young people to flourish on their #NextGen journey, creating a unique space for collaboration, skills building, and inspiration.
Planned and delivered by a fantastic team of Young Advisors, the packed schedule for our 2024 residential included outdoor activities from high ropes to ghyll scrambling, skill development workshops, and an array of team building challenges and energisers. In a nod to one of the highlights of this year’s sporting calendar, the Young Advisors chose to theme the event around the Olympics, with all participants assigned to one of six countries as their team for the week. It was brilliant to see young people embracing this, enthusiastically collaborating with others from different projects to earn points for their team, and protecting their flag and mascot at all costs!
Amongst the many highlights of the week, it was particularly rewarding to see the young volunteers conquering the formidable Todd Crag, an imposing peak overlooking Brathay. The walk to the top is not for the faint hearted, but with encouragement from the Young Advisors and their project leaders, participants were rewarded for their efforts with spectacular views across Windermere and beyond – an embodiment of the ‘mountain top moment’ that we aim to provide through residential experiences.
A huge well done to the Young Advisor team – Andres, Hannah, Kamil, Lara, Sophie, Viyenze and Zain – whose vision, enthusiasm and dedication were the driving forces behind the success of the residential. From months of planning in the lead up to the event, to unwavering support and encouragement for their peers throughout the week, it was inspiring to watch them overcome their own nerves and challenges to deliver an unforgettable experience for other young people.
Thank you to Brathay Trust, NCS, Ingeus and Under Armour for their support and funding in making this event possible.
