Benefits of Joining Us
Surrey Youth Focus currently has 77 organisations in membership, including the large uniformed organisations like Surrey Scouts, Surrey Guides, the Army Cadets, and large charities like the three YMCAs in Surrey, and Surrey Care Trust. We also have many smaller charities like Matrix, East 2 West and Eikon which have grown up in response to localised needs of young people.
Our Members Survey of 2008 showed that our members work with over 25,000 young people every week, and 75,000 young people every year.
We are particularly keen to develop our membership in the east of the county (see map), and to welcome charities working with young people with disabilities, or working with young people from ethnic minorities.
The 2012 Games (London Olympics and Paralympics) also provides an opportunity to encourage young people into sport, and cultural links overseas.
The benefits of joining Surrey Youth Focus are:
1) Representation and Advocacy: we represent the interests of our members and the wider voluntary youth sector at the regional level, through Board level membership of the South–East Youth partnership, and RAISE (Regional Action and Information South–East), and at the county level through close links to Surrey County Council and as a board member of the Surrey Children and Young People Commissioning Partnership.
2) Opportunity to Influence policy: We hold quarterly meetings of the Children and Young People/Voluntary Sector Forum to discuss current issues – such as young people and homelessness, and young people and mental health issues. Reports of proceedings go up to the Commissioning partnership.
3) Networking and Information exchange: Keeping up to date with Surrey issues through this website and the twice yearly Open Forum discussion sessions. Surrey Youth News is published five times a year.
4) Provision of resources:
- Specialist youth work resources: such as our revised and extended toolkit (former Kitbag) and specialist resources on topics of relevance to youth workers working with young people about drugs, alcohol, sexual behaviour.
- Funding: we provide information about funding, but also have access to £150,000 of Connexions funding to support the voluntary sector in achieving its objectives, and have just won a Children’s Workforce Development Council bid to develop youth work training.
- Volunteering: We will be developing links to other organisations such as the Universities, Surrey County Council, Vinvolve and the volunteer centres to develop and promote volunteering into our member organisations.
5) Promotional resources: We offer opportunities to promote your organisation through the Surrey Youth News, the Resources Directory, members listing on this website and the Celebration of Youth event.
6) Members only area to website: We offer a members only area on this website designed to offer exclusive information. It includes items such as advice on funding, a year calendar and special features.
7) E-bulletin: This is provided to our members offering express information on current youth news.
8) Youth Development Worker: We offer the services of a youth development worker who can help to support existing quality voluntary youth projects and assist the set up of new sustainable projects that can be taken on by the local community.
9) Surrey Youth Focus staff and Trustees: We are an approachable team committed to helping our members.
To download a pdf of the full membership benefits click here.
For details of our specific Services click here.
Membership Fees
- Annual membership for organisations who have between one and five affiliated groups is £60.
- Membership for groups with between five and twenty-five affiliated groups is £110 a year.
- Membership for the largest groups who have more than twenty-five affiliated groups or have a charitable turnover in excess of £100,000, or who receive large numbers of Surrey Youth News, is £275 a year.
