Young Somerset

Young Somerset is the largest youth work charity in Somerset and their mission is to put young people first. 

Their aim is to work with young people, encouraging them to take responsibility for themselves and become actively involved in shaping the communities in which they live.   

Their vision is a Somerset where young people feel a sense of belonging, a desire to contribute to their communities and have a future that is not limited by poor access to opportunities and services.  

Our vision is delivered through three strands of work: Open Access Youth Work; Skills Development; and Social Action, with our Wellbeing Service running throughout our services.  

• Open Access Youth Work: A universal offer to young people across the county, enabling them to access a youth work curriculum that develops skills and increases involvement within their communities. 
• Skills Development: Through targeted or focused programmes, young people can gain skills which help them develop their economic and social wellbeing and employability. 
• Social Action: Delivering projects in which young people develop the skills and are given the opportunities to take ownership and contribute to their local community through volunteering, raising awareness or fundraising. 
• Wellbeing Support: We employ Wellbeing Practitioners that offer low-level mental health support, through cognitive behavioural therapies (CBT), to young people in Somerset. 

Young Somerset has been making Somerset a better place for young people for over two decades. It began as a small charity in 1997, known as Somerset Rural Youth Project, where it initially focused on the rural areas of Somerset. However, as it has developed over the years, it widened out its valuable youth work service across the whole of the county, no longer just a focusing on the rural areas. 

On 1st October 2018 Somerset Rural Youth project changed its name to Young Somerset, to reflect the broader spectrum of its work. As Young Somerset we are continuing to provide outstanding youth work to young people under 25 all across Somerset. 

To find out more about Young Somerset’s and the work it does, visit: www.youngsomerset.org.uk