Grab your mates and come out to play for a day of competition, excitement and fun when the StreetGames Festival shakes Grimsby later this month.

The festival has been organised by the sports development team on Saturday, February 25 at Ormiston Maritime Academy on Westward Ho, Grimsby. From 5pm to 7pm there’s going to be a huge variety of games for young people to enjoy. Later the sports development team will host one of their ever popular ‘fair play football’ tournaments along with a Dance-Off competition from 7pm to 9pm.

Organisers hope that the event will bring different games in to the local community and encourage more young people to enjoy positive activities in their evenings.

All the activities are free and for young people aged 11 to 19. These include:

- Fun rugby games
- Cricket rounders
- DodgeBall
- Modern street athletics
- Badminton
- Fun netball/Basketball hybrid
- Table tennis
- Zumba

It may sound like the title of a hip hop album, but ‘StreetGames’ is part of a nationwide charity with a very important agenda: to give sports and volunteering opportunities to young people in disadvantaged communities across the UK.

Nationally, the charity helps to organise sporting events that give young people that chance to enjoy sport while encouraging them to aspire to greater things. The council’s sport development team, who themselves are dedicated to making sport available to everyone, is proud to work alongside the charity and are looking forward to the coming festival.

It’s the council’s aim to help everyone stay fit, have fun and lead happy lives. We’re determined to bring exciting sports to the doorsteps of our residents and in doing so, encourage young people to push themselves in new, positive directions. I’m looking forward to the festival. It’s bound to be boisterous, funny, fast-paced and thoroughly enjoyable.

SPORT Lincs free football sessions will be kicking off once again at New Waltham academy in Grimsby on Thursday, February 23.

These sessions will be held every Thursday evenings from 6pm to 8pm at New Waltham football academy, Greenlands, New Waltham.

Aimed at eight to 19 year olds, the sessions offer youngsters personal development through sport.

“This is a good way for young people to improve their health as well as have fun and meet new people.

The sessions are free, so I recommend people to get involved and enjoy themselves.

To celebrate the re-launch, there will be a free hog roast, but organisers are urging people to be quick once it’s gone, it gone.

Sport Lincs is a partnership between the council’s Sports Development team, Humberside Police, the Young People’s Service and Grimsby Town Football Club.

Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister and Liberal Democrat leader, is calling on businesses to sign up to the government’s flagship £1bn Youth Contract so that they are ready to offer the jobs to young people in April.

Thousands of companies will today receive a letter from the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Minister for Employment Chris Grayling, calling on them to play their part in getting young people earning or learning.

Nick Clegg is announcing details of how employers can access cash to help cover the cost of taking on fresh talent through a ‘wage subsidy’. The subsidy will be paid to companies for taking on young unemployed people and is designed to cover costs like National Insurance contributions.

The wage subsidy will:

- Pay £2,275 to employers for every 18 – 24 year old unemployed person they employ from the Work Programme.
It is open to all businesses, voluntary organisations and charities.

- Payments for the majority of business will be made after the young person has been employed for 26 weeks.

- For smaller enterprises these payments will be staggered, with the first payment after 8 weeks and the rest after 26. This recognises that smaller businesses need a boost to their cashflow to make the jobs viable.

- The wage incentive will also be available for part time positions, with a rate of £1,137.50 if someone is employed between 16 and 29 hours.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said:

“Getting young people earning or learning is my top priority, and that’s what the Youth Contract is going to do. This is a long-term boost to help business get young people into jobs before long-term damage is done.

“Employers have a huge part to play in this and the subsidy we’re announcing today benefits business and young people.

“Today I’m writing out to thousands of employers of all sizes – from global corporations to small local firms – calling on them to look at what we’re offering through the Youth Contract and sign up to offer jobs from April. This is a significant moment and a call to arms for businesses to offer long-term opportunities to young people who are out of work.”

Minister for Employment Chris Grayling said:

“Our primary goal is to get young people into employment. With the wage incentive we are encouraging employers to take a chance on a young person who otherwise may have been looked over for a lack of experience or skills.

“Over the three months since we announced the Youth Contract we have consulted with businesses large and small to develop a system that works for them.”

The Youth Contract, launched last November, aims to lift all young people out of unemployment. It will also support at least 20,000 extra incentive payments worth £1500 each for employers to take on young people as apprentices, taking the total number of payments available to 40,000.

250,000 additional work experience places will be created through the Department for Work and Pension’s work experience and sector-based work academies programmes.

Extra support will be given through Jobcentre Plus in the form of weekly, rather than fortnightly, signing-on meetings, more time to talk to an adviser and a National Careers Service interview.

Employers can register their interest in supporting the Youth Contract and can find out more via the DWP website at www.dwp.gov.uk/youth-contract/

The video, titled ‘A Parents’ and Carers’ Guide to the Internet’ is designed to educate viewers on how they can support their child’s online activities.

CEOP is encouraging organisations to hold their own lunchtime session for staff to enable parents to watch the programme together and discuss the issues raised.

The 20-minute interactive video is designed to reach families that have never thought about online safety before, while also giving professionals who work with children the right tools to engage with families.

Kristina Gregory, Manager for Crimestoppers’ Youth Brand, Fearless, said:

“The internet is an ever growing social tool with social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter giving children even more opportunities to interact online.

“We support CEOP and the work they are doing and would encourage parents to take this opportunity to watch this video to ensure they know what their child’s life online is like.”

Commenting on today’s UCAS applications figures, which show the proportion of English school leavers applying to university this year is greater than ever before, barring last year, and that applications from people from the most disadvantaged backgrounds remain strong, Advocate for Access to Education and Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader, Simon Hughes said:

“Today’s figures show that on the whole young people have not been put off by the changes in the student finance system.

“This is due in no small part to the serious effort put in by the Coalition Government and many others in making sure that each young person and their parents knew all the facts about funding higher education.

“In particular, many families clearly now understand that all graduates will pay less each month towards the cost of their university education than they did before.

“There has been a larger drop in the number of older students applying to university. The Government will have to take a serious look at why this has happened, particularly as mature students for the first time also do not have to pay for their university education in advance.

“However, because mature students have more flexibility in when they apply, there are still good opportunities for people looking to start university this year to put in an application.”

Activities for children, young people and families for February to April are here!

Welcome to your new holiday activity guide. There have been some changes to the way activities are advertised. You can download a copy of the booklet in pdf format on this page below along with the parental consent form which is needed for all activities.

The booklet is now split into 2 sections. The front of the booklet (Access All Areas) has activities for children aged 13 – 19 and at the back is the School’s Out section for 0 – 12s. To make all the activities quick and easy to find they are arranged by holiday and in date order.

There are 2 opening times to book your activities:

February Half term activities: 9.00am on Wednesday 8 February
Easter Holidays: 9:00am on Wednesday 28 March
All other activities: 9.00am on Wednesday 8 February.

A link will appear here on Wednesday 8 February so you can book your activities online. Alternatively you can call the booking line on 01472 323344 to make your bookings. Make sure you book early to avoid disappointment.

If you wish to pay by card for your activities, please call 01472 325481 after you have made your booking between 10.00am and 2.00pm Monday to Friday and our advisor will be happy to help. Alternatively you can take your cash or cheque payments to your local library up to 3 days before the date of the activity.

If you have any feedback on the activities listed or the type of activities you would like to see in the future please download the feedback form below and email back to emily.hill@nelincs.gov.uk

Hope you find something great to do this Spring!

Family Links Around Grimsby out of school club (FLAG) offers exciting opportunities for special needs children and young people aged between 5 and 25 years.

FLAG strive to do their best to meet the needs of the individuals attending their session with the main aim being to enrich lives by providing recreational activities, developing social and independence skills and empowering children and young people with additional needs to have a rightful place in the community.

Many activities are provided for our youngsters, football, art, music, cookery to name a few and there are also trips further afield to theme parks, farms, museums etc.

FLAG has a number of quiet spaces too. They maintain a tailored approach for children with autism and can manage challenging behaviour, complex health needs and have a range of equipment to enable personal care.

Clubs are open Saturday in term-time from 10.00 am until 2.45 pm and selected days in the school holidays.

If you are interested in joining an activity at FLAG please contact them on 07746290424 or send an email to office@flaggrimsby.co.uk

Change4Life and the superhero Sportacus, along with Stephanie and other characters from the hit children’s television show LazyTown, are challenging the families of Immingham to get healthy this January. Immingham Children’s Centre has signed up to the scheme and will be running a five week course designed to inspire 2 – 5 year olds to be more active and eat healthier foods.

The course starts on January 13 and will then run every Friday for five weeks. Each session takes place from 10 to 11.30am. Places will need to be booked in advance and parents can do this by calling the centre on: (01469) 514848

Families and their children will get the chance to make fruit smoothies, which are a great way to help children get their five-a-day. They will also make fruit and vegetable faces in an effort to inspire the young children to try new foods. Each session will be different, but parents can expect active games, other healthy recipes and cooking lessons.

For those who aren’t aware of the programme; LazyTown is an award winning children’s television show about a superhero named Sportacus who inspires the residents of a ‘lazy town’ to be active and become healthy. Change4Life, a government initiative designed to promote healthier life choices and regular exercise, have recently enlisted the help of Sportacus and are now working in partnership with the LazyTown producers to promote healthy lifestyle choices to very young children.

Children’s centres run many different kinds of courses and activities to inspire babies and toddlers in many different ways. For more information about your nearest centre contact the Family Information Service on: 0800 18 303 17

your child being cared for by a friend? Are you caring for someone else child? If the answer to either of these questions is ‘Yes’ then it might be time to contact North East Lincolnshire Council and inform them of this situation.

Individuals who care for a child for any period of time longer than 28 days are considered to be ‘Private Foster Carers’ in the eyes of the law. Children who are not in the direct charge of their parents and are privately fostered by families or individuals outside of the Council’s remit can be vulnerable to abuse and neglect.

As with Council endorsed foster carers, private fosterers must undergo assessment to ensure that they provide an adequate and safe environment to raise a child.

The law states that a ‘child’ is any individual up to the age of 16 years (18 years if the child is disabled). Close relatives are not considered private foster carers. This includes: grandparents, brothers, sisters, uncles or aunts. However, cousins and other distantly removed relatives are considered to be ‘private foster carers’.

It is important that we ensure that all the children within our area are living in a secure and safe environment. If you think you fulfil the criteria to be called a ‘private foster carer’ please contact the North East Lincolnshire Referral and Assessment Service on: 01472 325555. There are many levels of support and advice the council can and are only too willing to offer.

Debbie Mercer, head of service for safeguarding said: “It is a fact that a lot of people are simply unaware that they are privately fostering a child. Fostered children who remain hidden are at risk of suffering all kinds of neglect. It is important to all the professionals of North East Lincolnshire Council that children in our borough are kept safe. It is with this in mind that I strongly urge anyone who thinks they may be in this situation to contact us and make use of our vital support and advice. We’re here to help you and the child in your care.”

It is one of our the authority’s biggest priorities to ensure that all children grow up living in a safe environment so if you are aware of any a child that is being cared for by someone who is not a close family member, please call the referral and assessment service. While most private foster care arrangements are very good, I would still rather be told about a child two or three times than not at all.

Remember, under Governmental law it is an offence to not report the private fostering of any child in your home.

Business leaders have backed the £1bn Youth Contract, announced by Liberal Democrat Leader and Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg in November, which aims to ensure that all jobless young people are earning or learning again before long-term damage is done.

In Burnley and Padiham, 875 18 to 24-year-olds are currently in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance and would stand to benefit from the Youth Contract.

Britain’s four biggest employer organisations, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), have formally backed the Youth Contract and will also urge their members to back the initiative.

Starting next April, the Youth Contract will provide at least 410,000 new work places for 18 to 24 year olds into work over the next three years. This includes 160,000 wage subsidies and 250,000 new work experience placements.

A new programme to will help 16 and 17 year olds who are not in employment, education or training (NEETs). This will help the most disengaged of these 26,000 in the North West get back to school or college, onto an apprenticeship or into a job with training.

In addition, there will be at least 20,000 more incentive payments to encourage employers to take on young apprentices in England.

Commenting, Gordon Birtwistle MP said:

“Youth unemployment is an economic waste and a slow-burn social disaster. If young people are out of work, the consequences of that will be felt for decades afterwards. We need to ensure young people do not have a false start.

“That is why it is excellent news that Britain’s four biggest employer organisations are backing the scheme. I look forward to working with local employers to make sure the Youth Contract is a success so that we won’t lose the skills and talent of our young people – right when we need them most.

“As a Liberal Democrat, I am proud that the Coalition Government is working with business to do the right thing to prevent another lost generation.”

Commenting further, Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg said:

“Supporting people into work is my priority for 2012 and helping young people get proper lasting jobs is especially important.

“The Youth Contract will make sure every unemployed young person starts earning or learning again before long term damage is done.

“But government can’t do this alone, we need businesses to play their part too. That’s why the support of the Confederation of British
Industry, British Chambers of Commerce, British Retail Consortium and Federation of Small Businesses is such good news.”