Valleys Kids

Description & History

Established in 1977, Valley Kids is an award winning project which works across all ages, helping people to help themselves to overcome obstacles, impart skills and give access to opportunities and activities to increase their confidence and enable them to fulfil their potential.

Valley Kids works with Child and family providing family support groups, feeling good groups, parent and baby and play sessions, teenage mums support groups, crèches, holiday play schemes. The trust also provides outreach and mobile play sessions on two converted double decker rainbow buses.

In terms of Youth work the trust provides youth clubs, outdoor activities, residentials, computer training, driving and car maintenance, access to a gym, homework clubs, job search advice and volunteering opportunities and health clinics.

For the community as whole the trust runs Time Banking, 16+ drop-in sessions, job search, advocacy, partnerships, a community gym, health and housing surgeries and a number of different formal and informal classes.

The Trust owns and has developed a number of its Community Assets including Little Bryn Gwyn, a cottage on the Gower used for residential visits and training . Capel Soar, an old Baptist Chapel in Penygraig, has been transformed into a multifunctional community and arts venue. Valley Kids is also exploring the possibility of purchasing empty shops and creating new social enterprises to add to their community facilities and services.

Valley Kids runs many Arts based schemes encompassing theatre, dance, music, film, digital arts and video to help disaffected young people tackle issues and events affecting their lives in a meaningful and creative way.

The trust is responsible for managing Communities First teams in Penygraig and Rhydyfelin developing active community partnerships.

Location and Area of Benefit

South Wales Valleys is the area of benefit with community projects in Penygraig Penyrenglyn Rhydyfelin and Dinas. Our time bank staff work in Rhondda Cynon Taff, Merthyr and Bridgend.

Main services, Enterprises and Activities

Child and family work – family support groups, feeling good groups, parent and play sessions, teenage mums support groups, parent and baby groups, crèches, holiday play schemes, junior youth clubs, middle clubs, mobile play sessions on two converted double decker rainbow buses (and other outreach activities)

Youth work - youth clubs, outdoor activities, residential opportunities in Little Bryn Gwyn, computer training, driving and car maintenance, access to a gym, homework clubs, job search advice and volunteering opportunities, health clinics.

Community work – Time Banking, 16+ drop-in sessions, job search, advocacy, partnerships, community gym, health and housing surgeries and a number of different formal and informal classes.
Community Access to Technology (C.A.T.) - a scheme ensuring that computer training is accessible to adults in their local community.

Residential work – we own Little Bryn Gwyn, a cottage on the Gower, near Swansea and it is used for residential visits by all ages and for training days etc.
International work – two international volunteers spend 11 months working in the trust each year and we are involved in international exchanges

Artworks - encompassing theatre, dance, music, film, digital arts and video to help disaffected young people tackle issues and events affecting their lives in a meaningful and creative way.

Communities First – we are responsible for managing Communities First teams in Penygraig and Rhydyfelin developing active community partnerships.