SMASH Youth Project

09/07/2025

Did you know one of the perks of working with young people out in the community? Opportunities for local people to join in!

A couple weeks ago, our mentors were working with young people in Wroughton when a local resident approached them. After a lovely conversation, the resident shared some flowers she had picked on her dog walk, enabling the group to make some beautiful flower presses!

Great to see members of our community working together!

03/07/2025

03/07/2025

24/06/2025

Want to know all that’s going on at The Base?

Follow along to find out more about The Base (formally known as the Lyndhurst Centre), including…

- Youth clubs
- An outdoor gym
- Hair and Beauty Salon and more!

Follow on Instagram or The Base Swindon on Facebook now!

in with Swindon Borough Council, WAY Swindon, Friends of STEP and Solid Ground Coffee.

16/06/2025

We’ve had a fantastic time with students from local secondary schools as part of our Alternative Provision offer at The Base, working with SMASH mentor Tim to make a range of delicious dishes!

With Tim’s guidance, these students are developing the skills, knowledge and confidence to cook delicious and rounded meals for themselves and others in their lives 💙

Take a look at some of the tasty recipes the group have made recently 😋

06/06/2025

📢 📢 We're hiring! 📢 📢

Interested in being a part of the SMASH team?

We are thrilled to be sharing this brilliant opportunity to become a Community Youth Worker, working alongside and support young people frequently presenting in hospital on the wards and out in the community.

We are also delighted to be offering this opportunity through our continued work with the ICB, so please don’t hesitate to find out more!

Community Youth Mentor: https://uk.indeed.com/jobs?q=smash+youth+project&l=swindon+sn4&radius=25&from=searchOnDesktopSerp&vjk=f4ba30a68401d53b

03/06/2025

Happy Power of Youth Day, celebrated as part of Volunteers Week!

For this year's theme, We See Your Power, we wanted to celebrate a group who are making a real change in Swindon, !

For those of you who don't know, is a group of young people who have a voice and want to make a positive change in their community. Working alongside young people aged 11 to 25, the group have made a real impact this year, from shaping The Base Swindon (Swindon's new Youth Centre) to connecting with older generations at the Ageing Well Festival 2025!

Here is just a glimpse of what the group have been up to recently, decorating some beautiful rocks with what’s important to them now and as they get older

co-delivered with Prime Theatre, in partnership with Voluntary Action Swindon (VAS)

29/05/2025

Our mentors had a fantastic time at Wroughton a few weeks ago, challenging young people to some games and enjoying some tasty chips 🍟

Keep any eye out to see what we’ll be doing in Wroughton over the summer!

21/05/2025

had a fantastic time being part of Swindon’s Ageing Well Festival last weekend 💙

This involved young people having at least 20 conversations with the older generation, asking them all about their advice, memories and varied musical tastes!
One young person even got involved with composing a song to celebrate the event 🎶

A huge thank you to everyone who got involved, including young people, older people, and a special appearance from Solid Ground Coffee!

co-delivered with Prime Theatre, in partnership with Voluntary Action Swindon (VAS)

19/05/2025

Check out The Base Swindon's new page for all you need to know about the new youth centre at Lyndhurst!

SMASHyouthproject in with Swindon Borough Council, WAY Swindon, Friends of STEP and Solid Ground Coffee.

Welcome to The Base Swindon 👋

The Base is a new Youth Centre located in Lyndhurst, Swindon.

There are lots of ways for young people to get involved - The Base will have youth clubs, an outdoor gym, washing machines and tumble driers, sports on our outdoor court, a hair and beauty salon, barista bar and training kitchen, recording studio, creative design suite AND a bike fixing hub 💚

We can’t wait to keep you updated on everything we’ve got going on!

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15/05/2025

Introducing Solid Ground, Swindon’s new youth-led mobile café ☕

You may have seen glimpses of Solid Ground or even visited of our van before, but if not, here’s all you need to know…

Solid Ground is a mobile cafe that not only sells wonderful coffee and snacks 🍪, but also offers real-life work experience, barista training and business skills to young people in Swindon

This means young people are involved in every aspect of the van, from the name to day-to-day operations. As Councillor Paul Dixon puts it…
“This project isn’t just about coffee, but about building confidence, skills and a sense of purpose” for young people 💙

Come along to the van every Wednesday and Thursday from 10am to 3pm, at Council’s Civic Campus, next to the red-brick Clarence House Victorian building.

A huge thank you to Councillor Jim Robbins, Leader of the Council, Councillor Emma Bushell, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Organisation Oversight, and Wiltshire and Swindon Police and Crime Commissioner, Philip Wilkinson for visiting last week, seeing what we do and trying some really good coffee ☕

Read more about Solid Ground here: https://www.swindon.gov.uk/news/article/1183/young_people_full_of_beans_thanks_to_mobile_caf%C3%A9_training_opportunities

in collaboration with Swindon Borough Council Youth Justice Team, Swindon Community Safety Partnership, of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon, Darkroom Espresso, The Coffee Lobby and more!

13/05/2025

What a fantastic Child First Event 2025!

From insightful presentations with academics in the field, to meaningful discussions on how we can all be child and young person centered in our practice, the day was a brilliant example of how we can work together to shape environments where young people can develop and thrive 💫

A huge thank you to everyone who got involved in the day, including our dedicated guest speakers and young people behind the scenes 💙

We were thrilled to be hosting this event as part of a Child-First Centre of Excellence, in with Swindon Borough Council's Youth Justice Team, The University of Salford, Loughborough University, Brighter Futures for Children, Isle of Wight Council, Association of YOT Managers, Youth Justice Board Bwrdd Cyfiawnder leuenctid, North Somerset YJPS and more!