Originally begun as a community youth charity by three Churches (Church of Scotland and Roman Catholic) Blue Horizon is responding to local issues of youth disaffection and anti- social behaviour at school and on the streets of Kincorth and Cove and offering life enhancing experience for young people both locally and city wide. It has formed strategic partnerships with, amongst others, Grampian Police and Kincorth Academy and local businesses to offer services and support to young people and their families.
Weseek a preventative approach to youth issues and needs over a substantial length of time, rooted firmly in the local community and developing a strong volunteer input. We seek to bring together several strands of work over time, that addresses not only presenting issues such as youth disaffection, anti-social behaviour, under-achievement, alcohol and drug misuse, but also attacking the root causes found in parental stress, loss of self-confidence, community alienation, lifestyle choices, loss of meaning and ethical structure. Blue Horizon works with both Young People and Parents.
Family Worx: Our services providing parent support and education have been running for over 4 years,
Many families receive one to one support from Kathryn Rojas. We have a stable trusting and respectful relationship with the local high school and other agencies. Many of these familieshave needed time and a longer term commitment to enable them to stabilize their own families. We continue to use the Time out for teen’s course with this group of parents. We also completed 2 other group courses one with 7 parents from the grammar school and another with 20 parents from a partner church.
Because of the nature of the families being referred to us we have found the need to be increasingly involved in a certain amount of advocacy work with families and general confidence building work to enable parents to take charge of their own families.
"Seeing Worth"
Youth Worx
Great series of summer activities is being devised to run in the Summer of 2012
We have continued to establish positive relationships with regular attendees on The Bus which serves as a welcoming hub particularly in the winter evenings. A programmed of special activities provides fun, learning and opportunities for recreational and creative expression.In 2011, activities included, partnering with the Robert Gordon’s University StreetSport, Street Football unit, karaoke, guitar hero, arts and crafts, ceramic work, beauty, and parties. Alongside the activities the volunteers and staff act as informal educators initiating and encouraging conversation, discussion, reflection and life applications.
Realizing Potential/ New Horizons
Over the last 6 years we have offered 4 trips to South America , for Local Youngesters to work with Abandoned young people in Peru with our partners, The Vine Trust, We have encouraged the links that Kincorth Academy has with Gomel in Belarus and has offered individual young people support to follow their dreams.
This is most notable through our partnership with Aberdeen University, Aberdeen Sports Village and Hydrasun, in the Hydrasun Athletics Academy, but is also offered on a one to one basis through our youth worx programmes.
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HYDRASUN SKYE-HY 2012
SKYE-HY 2012 is a four day sponsored cycle from Skye to the Hydrasun Headquarters in Aberdeen in aid of Blue Horizon, taking place on August 25th-28th 2012. The target is to exceed last year's excellent fundraising efforts by raising over £14,000 for a very worthy cause.
With 13 participants (including a runner by the name of Stephen Forbes who will attempt four marathon distances across the four days!) and four support drivers, SKYE-HY 2012 promises to be even bigger and better than last year’s cycle challenge.
To donate!
http://www.justgiving.com/SKYE-HY-2012
THE HYDRASUN ATHLETICS ACADEMY
The offical opening of the Athletics Academy which is a parternship between Blue Horizon, Hydrasun, Aberdeen Sports Village, Spear Physiotherapy and Aberdeen University took place at 1.00pm on Friday May 6th 2011.
Now it its second year of operation local talented athletes from Aberdeen continue to benefit from services provided to help and assist them in reaching their goals! Last year Say Zoey Clark win a Gold Medal at the European Junior Championships in the 4 x 400m in Tallinn Estonia and both Zoey and Yasmin Milne attended the Youth Commonwealth Games. Robbie Simpson one of Scotland's best Hill runners won team Gold in the World Championships. This year 2012 Kathryn Christie has made great strides forwards winning the Scottish Senior Titles in 100m and 200m with great personal bests. All showing the benefit of this Academy in improving performance!
Allan Wells winning the 100m at the Moscow Olympics in 1980