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Seeing 'lost' kids progress makes me most proud

Amanda WhiteHull
BBC A young man with short brown hair is standing in front of a wall bursting with a multi-coloured mural where children's artwork is displayed.BBC
Youth worker Zak Brooks-Sheeley says he sees young lives transformed by having a space to be free to have fun

"Some come in looking a bit lost - maybe they don't know where they are in life," says Zak Brooks-Sheeley as he reflects on the work he does at Hull's Turf Youth Club.

"Just seeing them growing into better people, it's great to see. You see such improvement here."

The club at the Goodwin Centre off Anlaby Road, which is open to young people aged eight to 19, offers them the use of computers for games and homework, kitchen staff to feed them and activities like football, pool, table tennis and arts and crafts.

The BBC's Children in Need awarded the club £45,000 last year to help with its running costs.

And according to Brooks-Sheeley it has made a huge difference.

"It's massive. The kids are so grateful....they'd [like us to] open way more nights than we're open already.

"You know, we're open three nights, but if it was up to them I'm sure we'd be open seven. They do appreciate all the money they get here.

"It's just a positive place to spend time with their friends, engage with staff and it stops anti-social behaviour."

What makes him most proud?

"Definitely seeing how the young people progress," he says.

A boy with short, dark hair is wearing a blue tracksuit and holding a red table tennis bat and orange table tennis ball in front of a blue table tennis table. In the background a child wearing a grey hoodie and grey tracksuit bottoms stands with their back to the camera in front of a row of desks and computers.
Elias says he's made lots of friends at The Turf Youth Club

Ten-year-old Elias gets excited about youth club nights and was keen to show off the kitchen.

"If you're tired and you're hungry you can get fruits from here, there's pizza in there which the staff cook for you.

"Without the staff, the people who take care of this, the kids wouldn't be happy because they wouldn't have something to fill their bellies whilst they're playing", he adds.

"There's so much activities to do, like playing with my friends and stuff."

But if there's one thing the children would like fixing, it's the floodlights on the all-weather pitch which were broken by vandals several years ago.

The pitch is still full of young people kicking a ball as it grows dark - but they have to cope with makeshift lights hung from the fencing with cable ties.

It will cost thousands to reinstate the floodlights to allow them to play freely on winter evenings.

A young ma n wearing a dark hooded jacket is dazzled by the light from a yellow builders' light he's fixing to the wire fencing of the all-weather pitch with a cable tie. In the background are dark, cloudy skies.
Youth leader Zak Brooks-Sheeley hangs a builders lamp on the fence of the all-weather pitch so kids can see the ball after dark

Older teenagers also say "The Turf" is an important facility.

Sixteen-year-old Layla says: "It's a place that gives me a sense of comfort and it's like a second home in a sense... it's a very open and safe space.

"I think it's very important because if you don't have a place to be, you don't have that sense of worth, like you don't feel like you belong."

Twelve-year-old Mohammed has learned new skills on youth club nights.

"I've made loads of older friends some younger friends so it's brilliant. I didn't know how to play pool until I came here.

"I've been coming for two years and I love everything about it".

George has red hair and wears a Scarborough Athletic tshirt. He's holding a pool cue and standing proudly in front of the pool table at "The Turf".
George is thankful for the Children in Need cash that helps pay for staff at his youth club

George, aged 11, loves the PS5 and Xbox and is thankful for the Children in Need support.

"It's so important because it helps me make loads of friends.

"To the people who've given us money, thank you very much because the people who work here need it."

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