Community Story: Girvan Youth Trust’s Midweek Munch

For our first feature profiling a recent recipient of funding from SP Energy Networks’ Community Benefit programme, we’re in Girvan, South Ayrshire, to find out about a fantastic project from Girvan Youth Trust. Luke Upton chatted with Project Co-ordinator Amy Bissett about the Trust’s work with hundreds of local young people each year, and how Midweek Munch is making sure youngsters get a hot meal and a place to share it with friends.

Luke Upton (LU): Thanks for your time today, Amy. To start, could you tell us a little about Girvan Youth Trust and the community you’re part of?

Amy Bissett (AB): We’ve been running for over 30 years, so we’re very well established. We work in Girvan and the nearby villages, supporting young people who live in the town as well as those who come in for school. We work with around 350 young people a year, six days a week. The Trust has a youth club and other buildings, but we also go out into schools and connect with young people outside our own settings.

We have four major projects. Our Z1 Youth Bar has been running since November 2008 and currently opens five days and six evenings a week. It offers a safe, supportive and engaging place for young people to spend their free time. We also offer volunteering, with youngsters learning about selling and helping to manage a small tuck shop.

Young people can also develop skills through social enterprises. These include a local boating pond we run in the summer, where many of our members have had their first job, with 100% going on to positive outcomes. We also run the Aff the Rails coffee kiosk at Girvan train station, which we took over from Network Rail earlier this year, as well as our charity shop in the town.

Our “Life’s a journey” programme works with local young people aged 12 to 25, linking together learning, personal development and volunteering opportunities at Z1 Youth Bar, in schools and across the wider community.

The “Hand in Hand” project is our peer befriending, mentoring and buddying project for young people aged 11 to 24 with additional support needs. We tailor activities to build life skills and give people new experiences, such as arts and crafts, or even just going on a train or a trip to McDonald’s. It’s about helping people find the courage to do things they otherwise might not. Now in its eighth year, it also supports employability, and we partner with local organisations such as the NHS and the National Trust to help with this.

And finally, there’s “Streetlights”, our detached youth work project. Three evenings a week, members of our team go out onto the streets to meet young people who don’t engage with our youth club, outreach or other youth work services. They take time to build relationships and trust with youngsters who don’t always have positive relationships with adults. We’re proud of all our projects, but particularly Streetlights, which is one of the biggest detached youth work projects in Scotland.

LU: You’ve recently received funding through SP Energy Networks’ Community Benefit programme. Could you tell us more about Midweek Munch, what the funding will support and what you hope to achieve?

AB: Midweek Munch has been running since 2023. It’s essentially a meal club, providing a hot, cooked meal for young people and a place to sit with their pals and eat it. Youngsters aged 11 to 18 can come down to Z1 Youth Bar between 3.30pm and 5pm on a Wednesday and enjoy a two-course meal the team have made for them.

On average, around 20 young people come to each session, although sometimes it’s almost double that. Last week for example we offered a roast chicken dinner and ice cream sundae bar which proved very popular! The kids love it, and for some, it’s the only hot meal they’ll have after school for the whole week. It’s open to all, with no referral needed, though if a young person comes regularly, we do check in with their parents or guardians.

LU: How important is grant funding like this to Girvan Youth Trust, and what difference does it make to the work you’re able to deliver in the community?

AB: Very important! Quite simply, we wouldn’t be able to run Midweek Munch without funding like this from SP Energy Networks. We get no local government funding and exist purely on donations and grants. We really appreciate that SP Energy Networks’ Community Benefit programme supports existing projects like this. We know the amazing impact it has in our community, and being able to commit to it into the future is truly fantastic. So, a big thank you to SP Energy Networks and the team at Localgiving for the impact they’re helping us make in Girvan.

LU: Brilliant. As we always like to ask, beyond financial support, what do you think would make the biggest difference to your organisation and the communities you support?

AB: It’s always hard to look past finance! But I would say awareness. People sometimes forget that we’re a charity and that we need support. That goes beyond donations. It’s also about visiting our Youth Bar, charity shop and coffee kiosk, and spreading the word about what we do.

We have a busy Christmas ahead, with a big festive meal and plenty of trips. Check out our website and follow us on Facebook and Instagram for all the latest news!

 LU: Thanks very much for speaking to me Amy, keep up the great work! 

To find out more about the SP Energy Networks' Community Benefit programme and how it could help support your organisation or community, click here. 

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