OPEN is the Shetland Islands first youth led charity. Charity No. SC052681
OPEN works with young people in Shetland aged 14-25. We have a range of opportunities to get involved! Peer Education (anyone aged 16-25)
Fancy developing your skills and building your confidence in designing and delivering workshops? Peer educators meet on Tuesday evenings where they receive training, work on development of our workshops and discuss issue based topics. Peer educators are also supported by staff to deliver our workshops to secondary school pupils across Shetland! Da Café (anyone aged 14-25)
Currently Da Café is based at the Olive Tree on Thursdays and Monday 4pm-6pm. On Thursdays we offer £5 vouchers to get yourself something to eat and drink, on Mondays there is no pressure to buy anything, you can just come and meet your friends, though if you want to buy something refreshments are available! If you're aged 16-25 and want to volunteer at Da Café OPEN provides free basic youth work training and can support you to do this. "I Like going to Da Café because it is warm and sheltered and we can play lots of board games and we have the opportunity to get something to eat!" - Young person
Peer Mentoring
Peer mentors are typically someone aged 16-25 and mentees are aged 14-21. Peer mentors receive support and training and mentees will have a check in with a staff member as well. We match mentees and mentors carefully, likely those who have had similar life experiences. Mentors and mentees work together to set and work towards goals, no matter how small or big. "I want to be the person I needed when I was younger." - Peer mentor
Steering Group/Board (anyone aged 16-29)
This is our newest part of the project! On our journey to becoming fully youth-led we started our Steering group, this will soon become our Board. Board members will be in charge of OPEN and have the ultimate decision making powers. Staff will support board members through this and we also welcome anyone of any age who has experience and skills in this area to be mentors for our board members. Through the steering group we have been doing a lot of work on leadership, decision making and development of OPEN. Peer research
OPEN has been doing lots of research with young people, we have now employed 3 young people as peer researchers, our first project was all around places and spaces for young people in Shetland, this was a major success and proved the need for a space for young people in Lerwick. We are now researching access to support for drugs and alcohol for young people in Shetland. If you are a young person and want to be involved we have research teams made up of volunteers, or you can participate in research through surveys and focus groups, have your voice heard!
