registered charity supporting young people

" INSPIRE, NURTURE & ENCOURAGE "

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Catch Them Young Fishing Initiative is a registered charity set up to offer support, guidance and alternative provisions for young people who are at risk of exclusion from school, having problems at home or who are on the fringe of crime and/or causing anti-social behaviour.

Since 2005, CTYFI has used the popular sport of angling to provide a platform for a professionally structured 12 month program, teaching young people to fish whilst delivering a nationally recognised learning qualification.

A vital element of the work we do lies in the mentoring, support, mediation and social interaction, which is delivered alongside the skills and educational work. By providing a disciplined but fun activity in a relaxing and stress free environment, issues that face troubled youngsters can be explored and addressed.

We provide support for local schools in the Walsall area which already includes Blue Coats, Joseph Leckie, & the Grace Academy who are amongst many who already take advantage of the services that the Catch Them Young Fishing Initiative has to offer, as it focuses on disaffected youngsters who struggle with mainstream education helping to re-engage and encourage them to become responsible and trustworthy members of society.

Making headlines and real progress
Walsall based charity Catch Them Young Fishing Initiative has been listed as a finalist in the National Children and Young People's Services Awards for their unique work in crime prevention.

Now in it�s fifth year the Children & Young People Now Awards are the definitive awards for the children�s and youth sector. Arguably the most important awards around, whether it is work with children in their early years or adolescence, to keep them safe or to help them to achieve, these awards are about the future of our society.

At their first attempt at entering any competition, CTY Trustee Richard Thomas made the formal application in an effort to raise the project�s profile. He also felt the project deserved national recognition for their work which involves an innovative and multi-faceted approach to addressing the problems, and enhancing the life chances for many young people in and around the West Midlands. The project focuses on diverting vulnerable young people away from the factors that might influence their inappropriate behaviour. Utilising the popular sport of fishing as a channel to deliver formal learning methods, the CTY Fishing Initiative attempts to re-engage and encourage them to become responsible and trustworthy members of society.

Deputy Head Richard Thomas says - "I recently accepted an invitation to join the Initiative as a trustee as I was so impressed with the professionalism and dedication shown by the hard working people currently involved with the project. In my capacity at Joseph Leckie Comprehensive I've had direct experience over a number of years with the project. The effect this project has had on some of our students, who struggle with mainstream education has been quite profound. They come back to me and my school inspired and invigorated, and you can see their confidence grow as they actively get involved with this unique project.�

�I felt it was time to Champion the significant work the project achieves and this is long over due recognition for all the hard work that the founder members of the project have put in to get this initiative off the ground!"

Established in 2006 and registered as a charity the CTY Fishing Initiative was the original idea of 2 intuitive police officers, PC's Darren Robbins and Richard Hartland. Attracting support from numerous sponsors from within the angling trade and from local businesses, along with various successful grant applications they now boast a purpose built fishing facility set deep in beautiful rural Staffordshire which is supported by excellent class room facilities.

With a mission to "INSPIRE, NURTURE & ENCOURAGE" the CTY Fishing Initiative aims to break the cycle of negative behaviour amongst young people through a unique blend of mentoring and mediation support, guiding them towards an alternative path to becoming better functioning adults and better citizenship.

The organisation�s key objective is to act as a resource for vulnerable, challenging and �at risk� young people up to the age of 19 years living in and around the West Midlands by providing advice, assistance and organising programmes of physical, educational and other activities as a means of:

(a) advancing in life and helping young people by developing their skills, capacities and capabilities to enable them to participate in society as independent, mature and responsible individuals;

(b) advancing education potential; and

(c) providing recreational and leisure time activity in the interests of social welfare for people living in the area of benefit who have need by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disability, poverty or social and economic circumstances with a view to improving the conditions of life of such persons.

The charity currently carries out these objectives through the medium of angling at a purpose built facility in South Staffordshire. Where, in small groups, youngsters spend an entire day on a fortnightly basis throughout the academic year. They are taught to fish by professionally qualified angling coaches, who also mediate and mentor whilst developing the individual�s educational skills.

CTY delivers a structured learning programme of accredited qualifications through the Youth Achievers Award (YAA) and a Certificate of Personal Effectiveness, moving towards improving an individual�s chances of continuing in education and ultimately advancing employment prospects.

The Children and Young People's Services (CYPS) aim to raise awareness and tackle all issues facing children and young people aged between 0 � 19 years of age. They provide a unique service to managers and senior practitioners working with children, young people, and their families. They bring together childrens' and youth professionals across health, social care, education, childcare, youth work, youth justice and advice and guidance for young people.

CYPS recognise that so much wonderful work goes on with children, young people and their families day in, day out, work that goes unnoticed. The Awards exist to put this right.

Not only do they provide a tremendous sense of pride and recognition for organisations, projects and individuals � they also give ideas and inspiration to the children and young people�s sector at large.

The annual awards aim to recognise and celebrate the innovative and inspiring initiatives taking place all over the UK by professionals who are working daily to improve the life chances of children and young people. This work is taking place at every level, some of it project-based and with a preventative focus, some of it concerning change throughout organisations to make them more centred around the young, and some of it involving the demanding task of creating services where none existed before.

Hosted last year by the then Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families and Labour MP Ed Balls, this year�s highly prestigious award ceremony will be held on the 18th November 2010, at The Royal horticultural Halls, London. The winners will be announced then.

For further information please visit CTYI website or contact:

PC Darren Robbins Trustee & Project Manager e-mail: d.robbins@west-midlands.pnn.police.uk telephone: 07792 794 783

Mark Lewis Trustee & Marketing Communications e-mail: marklewis414@hotmail.com telephone: 07527 543 214

Catch Them Young Fishing Initiative is a registered charity (no: 11306070) and is a Limited company registered by guarantee (no: 672673)