Cardiff East Summer Programme 2024

Summer Program 2024

Week 1

Week one of summer program saw the start of ION fitness at St Mellons hub. Young people got the opportunity to work with ex Welsh internationals and do weekly sports and fitness.

It was also the start of a music project at St Mellons studio, it is a project every Tuesday throughout the summer. We were able to provide a technician to support young people to express themselves through music, rap, podcasting and singing.  

We also run we run Fit and Fed. During the week from 12-3pm on Tuesdays we had a jam-packed program with free food and snacks, artists, professional dance classes, arts and crafts and lots of games and sport.

The same week the junior group went on a trip to Cardiff West where they took part in an interclub youth work tournament. Sadly, they didn’t win but got to enjoy a McDonalds on the way home for all their hard work taking part.  They had a really fun time, and we had a great mix of young people from llanrumney Rumney trowbridge and St Mellons.

Thursday saw a number of our young people from St Mellons wellbeing club attend Grassroots to a dungeons and dragons festival. They got to dress up and take part in roleplay gaming which they loved.

This was a great start to the summer and really set up the mood and engagement for the rest of the summer with many of the young people returning and bringing friends throughout the rest of summer.

Week 2

In week 2 of summer program, we continued to run Fit and Fed, ION sports and the music studio project.  

Some of the juniors and seniors got the opportunity to take part in Aqua fest where they got the opportunity to do indoor surfing, white water rafting, hi ropes and sit on top kayaking. The young people had an amazing time and really overcome some fears. They were rewarded with a hearty lunch from Costco.

On the Friday a group of young people got the opportunity to attend aqua park. Somewhere nervous but they all took part and with the support of staff managed to complete the obstacle course. A message from one young person says it all,

“hiya Nat i just wanted to say i had such a good time today and how i feel so welcomed these past couple months into the youth service with trips and me doing fit and fed and podcasts and me doing youth got talent and now me and a few others event i just wanted to say to you and the other member of the Cardiff youth service you have all made me feel welcome into the youth service so THANK YOU and i can’t wait for tomorrow”

Week 3

In week 3 of summer program, we continued to run Fit and Fed, ION sports and the music studio project. 

Young people also had the opportunity to attend open access youth club and they also took part in master chef where they had a competition with other young people to see who the best cooks with St Mellons were bringing home the win.

Week 4

In week 4 we continued with ion sports but also took part in emergency services day at St Mellons hub and the youth supported the event and did lots of arts crafts and sports with the young people at the event. It was a great opportunity for young people to get to know the local emergency services and build stronger bonds.

week 5

week 5 was all about talent. The young people had been getting creative and preping all summer to take part in ‘Youth Got Talent’. A day to show off a range of artitic and creative talent from DJing, trapeeze, singing, dancing, magic show and spoken word. It was an event that brought young people from all over the city to showcase their talent and the young people from the East had a number of acts and really shon.

Throughout all 5 weeks our youth mentors were on hand to offer information support and guidance to young people transitinoing to post 16. The mentors conducted many home visits and suported many young people to different oppurtunitys. Working closly with the post 16 youth mentors and careers wales along with Eastern and St illtyds High school.

For the first 3 week s of the summer the youth club was alos open Tuesday Thursday and Friday. They offered activities to keep young people engaged throughout the summer.

We also had an overnight stay at boulders planned but has been postponed till october half term.

For more information on activities in Cardiff East please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Senior Youth Officer Natalie Simons natalie.simons@cardiff.gov.uk