Dear Supporters,

August has passed, and it has been a time for us to engage with young people and plan for the coming season as well as for the staff to get a break with their own families. We have seen an increasing number of young people in the Centre and noticeably earlier in the day. This has given us the opportunity to meet with some new young people who have visited us to find out what Prospex is all about. All of the young people who have come in are looking for something to fill their time, and it highlights the need for some focused projects over the summer and half term holidays. As always this depends on funding but we will start to plan ahead for the next half term.

Prospex Street Team

We have only carried out a minimum of street sessions over the summer due to low staffing, but we are ready and raring to go from September on a regular basis thanks mainly to three fantastic volunteers who have committed time to this work. We will introduce you to these volunteers in coming Newsletters through the ‘Who am I’ section.

Prospex Life

Our current Prospex Life courses have all been linked to school terms but there are more in the pipeline.

We also have enough funding to run one of our own courses, probably early next year. 

Prospex Works

Over the summer we have been involved in the second phase of the community garden project that we wrote about in our April / May Newsletter. This phase has involved two young people and Simon, a volunteer from Kent, starting to build the planters from around a hundred railway sleepers - very physical but rewarding work. This project progresses as and when we receive donations for the work; so hopefully there will be more funding soon.

Work Placements:

The money for our work placement scheme is about to run out with another young person entering the Crown Plaza as a commis chef. We have been actively seeking funding for this but haven’t been successful yet. The placements are a crucial part of our work as this is often the first stage to young people finding full time employment as well as building their confidence and self-esteem.

Each placement involving a 6 week work experience in one of a number of workplaces costs £450. Can you help to support a young person?

Prospex Families

The advert for the post of Prospex Family Worker has gone to press and applications are coming in. We are looking forward to having someone in position by the end of the year.

Prospex Xtra

Our healthy eating cookery project will be starting soon and will run for 5 sessions. Between 6 and 8 young people will be attending the project on Thursday evenings, before youth club begins.

We have a large number of volunteers joining us now. They are invaluable in helping us run our programmes and assisting behind the scenes’ with various tasks. If you have time to spare or skills to share then please contact us. Here is another volunteer…….

“Who Am I”

This month “Who Am I” features Mike Hickes (Chair)

Mike lives in Barnsbury and is married with 4 children.

He has more than thirty years of international business experience, twenty of these with Motorola (a global electronics corporation) where he held Senior VP jobs based in Europe, Asia and the USA.

In 2005 Mike decided on a career change and, having studied for an MA in Psychotherapy and Counseling Psychology at Regent’s College over the past three years, he is now completing his dissertation and undertaking further studies towards an Advanced Diploma in Existential Psychotherapy.

Mike became involved with the Prospex team in 2005 to help redefine and focus Prospex for the future. He also does voluntary work for two other local organizations.

Fundraising Event

You and your friends are all invited to a fundraising event on Wednesday 10^th September 2008. The venue is The Surya Club, 156 Pentonville Road, Islington, N1.

The format will be as follows:

7.30pm arrive

8 - 8.15pm Greg Barker MP

8.15 - 8.30pm Prospex Presentation.

8.30 - 9.30pm Steve Norman’s set

9.30pm Auction.

9.45pm onwards dancing.

We look forward to seeing you on the night.

The Prospex Team & Young People.

Prospex Drop-In Centre 

Opening Hours - September 2008