2009 has been one of YouthPoint's best years so far. We've experienced a few highs and lows along the way but as usual we pulled together as a team and we appreciate the hard work that our youth workers have put in behind the scenes to make this year so successful.
In May we attended a residential weekend at PGL which was quite exciting as we were made to take part in a range of activities that we wouldn't usually participate in. One of the main reasons behind the weekend was to encourage our members to work as team.
The team-building activities that we completed, some of which were quite dificult, were designed to make us stronger has a group and also helped us face our fears and believe that it was possible to achieve things we never thought we could.
The team building theme continued In March when we visited Allerton Towers. Abseiling was definitely a challenge for us all (especially those that were afraid of heights).
We've got lots of exciting things planned for 2010 so make sure you visit us again soon to check them out.
Lynnie Williams
Here are some of the highlights of 2009 written by YouthPoint members.
Our group wanted to take part in this programme as we thought it might be interesting to learn more and new life skills. Most of our group had never even switched on an oven, never mind having only three training sessions to learn how to master one dish to serve to a panel of judges.
There were 10 people who went on the trip, there were 6 girls and 4 boys. We went to the Y.M.C.A, Lake Side in Cumbria and stayed for three days two nights. We did 4 different activities: absailing/ rock climbing outside in the morning until dinner time, we then went canoeing then we went indoor wall climbing.
On the Sunday we did king swing which was good.
The best bits were all of it from beginning to end. The worst parts were getting up at 7 o'clock in the morning then not going to sleep till late and getting up again early.
The funniest moments were when Jack Richardson and Adam Davis fell in the freezing cold water when we were canoeing. The water was freezing and Adam went into shock because it was so cold. Jack got really amused with a leech on a rock that we found.
Becca Bate
On the 27th November we went to the residential YMCA in the lake District, me, Becca and about 8 others went we had a great time. The activities were very tiring but great fun we did outdoor rock climbing, indoor rock climbing, canoeing, king swing also abseiling!
The worst part was when just two climbs away from the top I got stuck, it was horrible and embarrassing. There is another worst part as well the night time after the last activities were more boring than being in my Nans for hours on end.
The best part was all of it apart from the worst parts! :)
Sophie Rushton
The work put into this project was hard, but in the end we all managed to create 3 excellent dishes each and we really enjoyed this project.
My own personal experience of this project was a good one and this project will always be one that I will never forget in a long time. Myself, always being to scared to even go near an oven has gone from only being able to make a piece of toast to go onto making pork skewers and salmon and foreign salad has been a real high for me.
The real high for our team was beating our competition (St Benedict's College and New Heys Comprehensive) in the first heat. The judges praised us highly and it was a real privilege to cook for councillor Warren Bradley and the rest of the panel.
On Friday 11th December we had are Christmas disco at Garston village hall. The disco started at seven o'clock. The music was blasting and there was a laser show from the disco with lots of different colours flashing.
About 50 kids went the disco and the best bit was the banging music and no trouble.
Me, Becca and Sophie came down from Speke. The songs they played were the Cheeky Girls, The Black Eyed Peas and Abba.
Shannon Irvine