Hi, it’s Paul here. I wanted to take you on a journey of how The Sid Youth CIC has come about.

 

Ryan and I first met at around 18 years old, when our opposing football teams were battling it out for the League Title. Many a heated game was played, with a rivalry that lasted 5 years. Little did we know our paths would cross again through Youth Work and working together at Worthing High School in the Behaviour and Pastoral Teams. It was at this time that we realised we shared the same passion for supporting young people. After a period of time, Ryan moved on to work for the West Sussex Early Help Service (previously FIP/Think family). Around 2 years later, I applied and was successful in joining the same team. During this time, the idea of teaming up to form our own company was first discussed and since then has always been simmering away as something we both wanted to do in the future. We worked together for another 3 years, before Ryan moved on to working in a young person’s secure unit.

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In May 2019, I left the Early Help Service to take up a role as a REBOOT Youth Coach. This was an Early Intervention Service aimed at reducing the risks of young people being either the victim or suspect of serious violence in the future. Ryan then joined the team in September 2020. However, sadly in November 2020 we were informed that the REBOOT program would no longer have a Youth Coach element to it.

As the saying goes ‘as one door closes, another one opens’. We decided to put everything we had discussed over the years into action and create a not for profit community interest company; The Sid Youth CIC.

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We chose the name, The Sid Youth CIC due to the strong links we have to the registered charity The Sidney Walter Centre. A warm and welcoming community centre based in Worthing, West Sussex that has been in existence since 1966.

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Using our experience from previous roles we have developed and designed a service we feel offers support to a wide range of young people in Adur, Worthing and the surrounding areas.

Over our careers we have built up many invaluable contacts including: schools, early help, social care, youth offending service, the safer communities team, charities, leisure centres and sport clubs. The positive relationships we have built up with these services will benefit The Sid Youth and those we support in the future.

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We are aware that the issues young people face can often change, that one shoe does not fit all. We work proactively and closely with other professionals to achieve the best outcomes for our young people. This has also helped to break down barriers and create a gateway to supporting the wider family members.

Our vision is to be dynamic in the work we do, taking in to account young people’s views to design a variety of programmes to support them and their families.

 

What started as a rivalry on the football pitch has blossomed into friendship, colleagues, and now business partners. Both Ryan and I are committed to supporting young people and their families, overcoming the many challenges and barriers they may face.