TriForum has been building a database of young people in Bexley ThamesSide and surrounds, with a view to regularly informing young people about activities for their age group in the area, and also to provide them with new activities that are of interest to them. Below are an outline of TriForums aims, and a brief analysis of the young people on the datanase and their interests.
TriForum was set up by community Forums in Belvedere, Erith and Slade Green in response to views expressed by local people that not enough was being done for our young people. It quickly became obvious that where activities were provided, young people didn't always find out about them, so plans have been made to run a database of young peoples interests and send them details of activities. To better meet their needs, we have carried out the survey of young people, and Groundwork are currently collating the results for us. TriForum 's area of benefit is larger than the combined areas of the three Forums, covering the whole of the north of Bexley Borough.
With the database, we aim to:
1. Provide young people with a regular diary of activities for their age group.
2. Send young people specific details of existing or new activities where the activity is something they have said they are interested in.
3. Encourage various other organisations to provide new activities, and provide new activities ourselves, that are being asked for by the young people.
It is intended that our own events will involve a combination of volunteers and youth workers, with volunteers generally taking the lead at events for the 8-12 age range, and youth workers taking the lead at events for the 13-18 age range.
Once everything is running properly, we will encourage young people to get involved with running TriForum and planning the information that is sent out - we want TriForum to eventually belong to the young people, with adults supporting them, rather than adults running everything.
There are currently 614 young people on the TriForum database - this includes a handful with possible contact detail problems (e.g. over 16 and asked to be contacted by email, but email bounces).
Numbers of young people in each age range
10 to 12 - 253 (41.2%)
7 to 9 - 128 (20.8%)
13 to 15 - 113 (18.4%)
16 to 18 - 33 (5.4%)
under 7 - 15 (2.4%)
over 18 - 1 (0.2%)
6-11 - 10 (1.6%)
11-17 - 6 (1.0%)
unknown - 55 (9.0%)
Numbers of young people by where TriForum had initial contact with them
PC Build Jul 01, 10
Sculpture Day Apr 02, 4
Sailing Jul 02, 7
Fun Days 02, 79
Sports Taster Feb 03, 54
Sculpture Day Apr 03, 11
survey 03, 432
sailing 03, 4
unknown, 13
The young people were asked how they preferred to be contacted - 16 prefer by email, 17 by text message. The remainder either prefer to be contacted by post, or expressed no preference.
Numbers of young people by location
Note that there are some inconsistencies (e.g. some young people in DA8 list their location as Belvedere, some in DA17 list their location as Erith). Also worth noting that some listed as Erith are in the eastern part of Erith and therefore in Slade Green Forum's area of benefit, which is Northend Ward.
Erith - 235 (38.3%)
Belvedere - 180 (29.3%)
Slade Green - 74 (12.1%)
Bexleyheath - 30 (4.9%)
Barnehurst - 16 (2.6%)
Thamesmead - 12 (2.0%)
Welling - 12 (2.0%)
Crayford - 10 (1.6%)
Abbey Wood - 9 (1.5%)
Dartford - 4 (0.7%)
Northumberland Heath - 4 (0.7%)
Upper Belvedere - 4 (0.7%)
Bexley - 3 (0.5%)
Northfleet - 2 (0.3%)
West Heath - 2 (0.3%)
Other - 8 (1.3%)
text/email only - 8 (1.3%)
Activities the young people would like to do
As part of the survey, and at the 2002 Sculpture Day, young people were asked to name up to five activities they would like to do but do not do at present.
Note that responses included some asking to do more of an activity they already do to some extent.
Go to Slade Green Community Forum website