What Are Our OBjectives
- To provide a provision for young people with somewhere that is their own space, where they feel comfortable and safe.
- To provide opportunities for children and young people to engage in positive activities that will enhance their lives.
- To create a social cohesion amongst the young people in Sevenoaks.
- To provide information, support and advice for all of those in need.
- To provide local communities with peace of mind that their young people are being catered for in a safe environment.
- To provide a 'hub' for youth services and informal education to be delivered.
- To give young people the opportunity via a management board to develop skills by running and managing their own programme of events.
THIS IS A GREAT PLACE BUT DON'T JUST TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT...
YOUNG PEOPLES PERSPECTIVES
At House in the Basement I have learnt how to play the electric guitar and also the drums because in House in The Basement there is an electric drum kit, a bass guitar and an electric guitar. There is also an acoustic guitar - when I learn the instruments the youth workers are always very helpful and teach me new songs and riffs. I can also play pool and have become really good at it, thanks to the youth workers who are always keen to have a game or two. There are frequent music events including Open Mic Nights and Live on the Vine - this helps young people show off their musical talent and has seen the likes of “Sleeping Naked” and “Chameleon” play live. There is always a great atmosphere when we have live music, it’s great to see so many people getting along together and having lots of fun.
I have never had any problems with bullying at HiTB, the youth workers are very quick to notice if someone is getting a bit loud and have a bit of a chat with them, this usually sorts things out. They also give you the feeling that you could talk to them if you had anything worrying you and they would be able to help you out or find a way round your problem. I sometimes go to HiTB when things are getting hard at home, I have a disabled brother and he takes up a lot of my mums time, it’s nice having somewhere that feels so different to home to escape to if I need time out.
I like being able to go to HiTB without my mum having to take me or sign me in, it’s great to feel that we are treated like adults and not like school kids. I think I have grown up a lot since I started going there, I am now helping out at events and have been shown how to use the tills and cash up. It certainly feels as if I have a separate life now, not just school and home. I also have made lots of friends, with all sorts of people from different parts of Sevenoaks, I think the mixing of people from various schools in the area is great.
I would like to finish by saying how much I enjoy HiTB, and I think it would be fantastic if even more people could come along to see how much fun it all is.
I have been coming to the café for nearly a year now and I tend to visit on Fridays and Saturdays, but sometimes I come up other days too, it depends who is up here and what the weather is like because I walk here.
Since coming to the café, I have made friends, I have always struggled with making friends and had been bullied at school. I have Autism and sometimes things are difficult for me. I come to HiTB to mix and socialize with my new friends, I also like the food now especially the chicken curry.
HiTB helped me do a CV and apply for jobs, I now have a part time job which is great coz it gives me my own money. I also have got a new phone and it’s good as I have friends I can connect with now.
If the café closed I would miss having somewhere to meet my friends, play games and eat good food that I can afford. I would probably go back to staying at home all the time, especially in the winter which would be boring.
PARENT'S PERSPECTIVE
My eldest son has been going to the HiTB for just over a year, we live quite close to the Stag so he is able to get himself there and back without any input from me. This independence is a key thing for me, and him, and I have been literally amazed how he has blossomed and flourished over the last twelve months. He has, until now, been very much an observer of life, and has never really joined in any group or social type activities. He has found it very hard to make friends and has had problems in the past with bullying, as is so often the case with children who don't fit inside a typical box. I must admit I was reluctant to let him go to HiTB when he first mentioned it, I didn't think he would be able to cope without my support. How wrong I was! He has thrived in the inclusive atmosphere, he has not had any bullying and has carved out his own niche, even going so far as to be an official helper at the regular Voices events. He gets on really well with the staff and volunteers, they are incredibly kind and understanding with him, and currently he is being taught how to play the electric guitar by someone who must have the patience of a Saint!
He goes to HiTB whenever it is open, he quite often pops in for a couple of hours, comes home for supper then heads back again. He loves the fact he can come and go as he pleases, there is no set time he has to be there. This also fits in very well with the rest of the family, if we are going out somewhere he just goes to HiTB a little later, he doesn't feel as if he has let anyone down by varying his usual times. He also often uses HiTB as a temporary escape, his younger brother, whom he shares a bedroom with, has complex disabilities and things can sometimes get very stressful as home. Just getting away for a couple of hours to play pool or a few computer games gives him the chance to be "normal' for a while. It also relieves the pressure on the rest of us, we can concentrate on dealing with his brother's issues without feeling guilty that he will be feeling left out.
I thought the other day how much more difficult our lives would have been if he hadn't discovered HiTB a year ago, and how he would have carried on being a shy and socially excluded teenager. As it is, he has made friends, had loads of fun, developed new skills (pool and guitar playing!) and shown a completely different side to his character. I really can't thank the HiTB team enough and look forward to them having the same positive effect on my younger children, who are desperate to reach the age of eleven so they can come along too.
YOUTH WORKER'S PERSPECTIVE
The young person is 15 and lives locally and visits the café every day. Learnt guitar from café staff and now teaches other young people casually at the café he also lives with learning difficulties but he doesn’t let them beat him, he is probably the most active member of the café and as well as airing his own voice is great at encouraging others to do the same. In the time he has been a member of the café he has challenged MP’s, planned open mic nights and spoken in front of 300 young people in a year 7’s assembly.