We’ve been at the heart of the community since 1988 offering free locally based community courses which help build confidence, skills and community. 

Our professional courses include qualifications and tailored organisational training focusing on key areas below, whilst our accredited learning programme for children and young people is available for organisations and schools working with 13 to 19 year olds.

Current course areas are detailed below:

Places are limited so please book NOW - training@southernbrooks.org.uk or ring 01454 868570

Please see our 2012 -2013 Training Course Guide for full details of our courses.

For more information or to chat more about our courses please call 01454 868 570 or

email the training team. 

The financial rationale for investing in preventative work can be clearly demonstrated. A child in Local Authority Care costs £36,653 a year. It’s estimated that to keep a child in residential care is £110,000. Compare this to an approximate cost of £780 for a 12 week intervention and the value of the work is immediately apparent.

We’ve been providing a family support service for over 8 years and have a team of early intervention and prevention staff who work with families referred by other agencies or who self refer.

The team provide very practical one to one help, signposting to other services where necessary as well as working through groups.

We know that the parent-child relationship is key to solving other issues. We work in a non-judgmental way with families to conduct an assessment process to help them identify their needs, agree an action plan and work out areas that they want to change.

Time out from Anger Course

We work with parents and children to help them to understand their feelings, what triggers their anger and strategies for dealing with anger. We encourage parents and children to recognise the importance of diet, sleep and boundaries and how to have an improved family relationship. This programme can be delivered within a local neighbourhood for up to 6 parents and their children.

Counselling - HeadSpace and Primary HeadSpace

Our school counselling services, HeadSpace (for children aged 11 to 18) and Primary Headspace (aged 5 to 11) can offer young people the opportunity to talk in confidence to a qualified counsellor about issues that are concerning them. The counsellor will provide therapeutic work alongside signposting, advice and where appropriate, referral to other agencies. Counselling can also provide a positive environment to support a young person’s learning opportunities and can contribute to the pastoral care provided by the school.

Who uses our services?

Schools and other education providers and Housing Associations.

What do our service users say about us?

“As a school it has been great to be able to call on [Southern Brooks] services for some of our more vulnerable families. The biggest success has been with one family. In this instance because of the support provided by [Southern Brooks] School Parent Support Adviser, one of our pupils, who had struggled with attendance [of] around 60%, is now in school 95% of the time, and is happy and forming relationships well again.”

- Deputy Head of a school

“About 6 years ago my daughter had the benefit of [Southern Brooks] help whilst she was suffering from post natal depression. This was a terrible time for us all, and she had a support worker who was excellent. I recall that Christmas was a difficult time, and the lady appeared on the doorstep bearing goods, a hamper with food and some toys for the baby. What a surprise……..it was not the value of the presents, it was the fact someone out there cared, and that gave us all such a lift. Especially me as I realised then I was not on my own trying to cope with this worry. I get emotional thinking about this even now, thankfully my daughter fully recovered and went on to increase her family and did not suffer again with post natal depression.”

- Mother of a service user

Bouncing Babies

Fun for parents/carers of babies up to 1 year old

Venue: Jubilee Centre, Savages Wood Road, Bradley Stoke, BS32 8HL 

Day:      Tuesday 

Time:    1-3pm

Cost:     £2 per session

For more information please call Tendai on 01454 867076 or email:

tendaipawadyira@southernbrooks.org.uk

(funded by Knightstone Housing)

Successful change comes from building relationships with children, young people and their families – through empathy, listening and understanding. This is at the heart of everything we at Southern Brooks do.

One to One Support for Children and Young People

We offer a 12 week programme that provides incentives and encouragement to participants to change their behaviour. This includes a tailor made package of support which focuses on behaviour development, anger control, peer group pressure, raising self-esteem, offending behaviour and positive communication. We also provide community support; help with education and opportunities for constructive use of leisure time. We encourage activities which are sustainable to encourage young people to continue after our work with them has ended.

Small Group Work for Vulnerable Children and Young People

We have over 20 years experience working with children and young people and we know that many prefer to work in small groups. We have successfully run arts therapy groups which have proven to be an effective way of supporting and motivating young people at challenging times in their lives. We run 3 programmes lasting 6 weeks at a time. Groups are run at community venues or within schools with groups of up to 8 children / young people. Recent programmes have included work on confidence and self esteem and group work to help 13 year old girls make positive choices.

Mentoring Support (8 – 19 years)

We offer a mentoring programme which can be accessed by young people we’ve previously worked with or offered as a standalone programme. Mentoring offers young people the opportunity to have a trusted adult to listen to them, build a positive relationship which helps raise their self esteem and promote confidence and positive social and emotional wellbeing.

Who uses our services?

Schools, pupil referral units and other educational providers, the police, social care and welfare agencies, anti-social behavior teams and parents (through self referral).

What do our service users say about us?

“My behaviour has changed completely at home, before my parents thought that I would not be able to carry on living there, it’s all because of art group. I know that each week I can come and talk things through and make sense of them.”

- Young person from a Therapeutic Art Group

“Working in partnership with Southern Brooks Community Partnership has been a strong feature for the last few years in terms of delivering quality support to students and their families at [our] school. This new team has been a very welcome addition to compliment the pastoral work that staff within the school can deliver. Whilst we do have an effective pastoral team who can provide a high level of student support, it is often the case that students really benefit from having a trusted adult who is not a member of the school staff.”

- School Feedback

 We also offer accredited learning courses for young people as well as a range of FREE and very low cost activies.

It takes time to build a sense of community that meets the varying needs and aspirations of residents. Bringing together people from different backgrounds, cultures and experiences helping them identify issues, concerns, challenges and opportunities is part of the process. Having a community co-ordinator who can support people, helping them gain skills and experience in setting up projects, groups and networks makes a huge difference.

The co-ordinator’s role also includes making initial links with schools, health agencies, businesses, voluntary agencies and potential funders bringing in additional resources into the community.

Who uses our services?
Our community co-ordinator package is for housing developers who need support to create a vibrant, thriving and cohesive development.

Case studies:

Supplementary School Pilot
After a racist incident took place at a local school in Filton, we were tasked with supporting a group of active Somali mothers to deliver an activity at the annual school fete. It was during this time that a good relationship was built and the Somali community in and around Filton communicated the need for a Supplementary School for their children. After a lot of community consultation, organising and seeking funding to support the project it began in June 2011 and saw over 30 children aged between 8 and 11 years attend from both the Somali and Polish communities.

This project was coordinated by Southern Brooks and supported by; Bristol Housing Foundation, South Gloucestershire Council, Bristol City Council and Eden Grove Community Centre.

Trust Ground Improvement Group
Following a public open meeting a need came forward for a community play space at the Trust Ground in Stoke Gifford. Within a year we supported a ‘Friends of Park’ group to set up and to ensure all voices within the local community were represented. The consultation was inclusive and involved children, young people and adults.
 

The group successfully secured Community Spaces Lottery grant funding to build the play space and over 200 people turned out for the opening event. The group now run events in the park to involve all generations and to this day the park is respected and well used by the community.

Bradley Stoke Radio
When a Police Community Support Officer recognised a need for a stronger understanding between the generations in Bradley Stoke the innovative solution was to set up a radio station. Southern Brooks listened, reached out and drew together interested residents. With successful project planning and fundraising, radio workshops were set up to give a taste of what is involved in running a community radio station.
Five years on, the group has hosted FM broadcasts presented by volunteers of all ages and walks of life. Currently they broadcast online and FM twice a year, but have just gained the opportunity to establish full time broadcasting by OFCOM.
 

Brooks cafe is a community meeting place where you can enjoy good food at low prices in the heart of Patchway. All profits from the cafe go directly back into our charity work, so you can enjoy good food at the same time as raising money to benefit your local community.

The cafe is open from 8.30 am – 2.30 pm, Monday to Friday with a varied menu of full breakfasts, snacks, hot meals and drinks all at a low cost. Children’s meals are available and there’s a small soft play area for babies and toddlers.

We also offer catering and hospitality and a cake making service.

Since it opened in June 2011, the cafe has become ‘just what people needed in this area.’ As well as hosting several parties and events the cafe has also provided 7 local jobs and volunteer opportunities. We welcome new volunteers, so if you have a few hours to spare, want to meet new people and gain confidence and experience, then pop in for a chat or contact the office.

 If you're in a rush you can ring ahead with your order.  Call  07969 627104

"SPECIAL"

£1.50 for cofee and a slice of cake

£1.50 for childrens meals / chicken nuggets/sausages, smiley face and a drink

ACTIVITIES IN THE CAFE - FREE WIFI

Mondays      10am-11.30am   Craft Club

Tuesdays    8.30am-11am       Breakfast Group

Wednesday 12.30-1.30pm       Breastfeeding Group

Thursdays  10 -11.30 am         Story time

                      10am - 2pm          Food Co-op buy together for a cheap weekly suply of fresh fruit & veg

Fridays        2pm -3.30pm          Drop In Job Club - Free tea and coffee - job hunting/internet access

                     6.30pm                    Restaurant Night - last Friday of the Month BYO

Saturday    11am -1pm            LGBT Brunch (First Saturday of month) - All members of LGBT   community welcome.

Sunday     2.30-4.30pm           Tea Party -Last Sunday of month,  FREE event for Over 60's newcomers welcome, Hot drinks and cakes

Documents:
Café Menu
Hospitality Menu

Food Co-op

Breakfast Club