The Gaff! has employed secondary teacher Helen Murdoch to explore new opportunities for attendees

A local youth club run by volunteers has appointed a funded development officer to help it expand.

Forres mum and English teacher, Helen Murdoch, is looking forward to working with the young people and volunteers at The Gaff! to explore new opportunities in the community.

She said: “I am passionate about empowering young people and committed to supporting community initiatives that make a positive impact.

“I am excited to be a part of something that will make Forres an even better place to grow up in. I am also looking forward to working closely with our network of brilliant volunteers and stakeholders.”

Around 80 youngsters currently attend The Gaff! in total, though usually between 40 and 50 at a time, on Saturdays from 6-8.30pm.

The initiative was originally based at the Sustainable Living Centre at Transition Town Forres on Bogton Road but, as its popularity increased, moved to St Leonard’s Church Hall .

Attendees are offered free meals and drinks, board games, arts and crafts, music, games consoles and a safe space to chat and relax with peers. Three or four adults facilitate the sessions but the organisers aim to have one adult present for every 10 young people.

“The Gaff! continues to grow month-on-month,” said Helen. “Young people love what we offer and we hear so many positive comments from their families.

“In the future, we would love to have a permanent purpose-built venue that we can call home. We are always looking for more funding and support.”

She added: “Sometimes we are able to offer free transport to and from our sessions. Again, we would like to be able to offer it for every session but this relies on extra volunteers.”

The volunteers do anything they are comfortable with, including preparing the hall and food on offer, providing general supervision and safety throughout the sessions, and tidying up afterwards.

“The work is very flexible,” said Helen. “We utilise the strengths and experience of our helpers so that attendees get the best out of the sessions. Volunteering is incredibly rewarding and, in the future, we would like to create a forum to invest more in our volunteers.”

She added: “Anyone over the age of eighteen who wants to make a real difference to young people is welcome to help for any amount of time. We are a very friendly bunch so please come and say hi!”

Helen’s role has been funded by Moray Local Action Group 2024-2025 for three months but the trustees hope to secure funding to extend her tenure.

She is already well known to young people in the area in particular, having worked in secondary schools all over Moray and the Highlands for the last 10 years as a teacher and acting principal teacher.

She added: “I have developed a deep understanding of the challenges faced by young people, particularly in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.“

Helen delivered the ‘Journalism Wider Achievements’ class at Forres Academy, where she worked closely with the Gazette to publish articles written by pupils. During term time she offered study support for N5 English pupils at lunchtimes or after school, and provided private tutoring outside of school.

“As a teacher I have organised and helped with school trips,” she said. “Last year, I joined my S1 pupils for their outdoor learning - we climbed Meall a' Bhuachaille which was a fantastic experience!

“I have also been involved with the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative for S2 and S3 pupils to win a donation of £3000 for a local charity of their choice. It is always rewarding to see groups’ presentations then their teamwork pay off for great causes.

“I always try to volunteer and help run school events like dances and discos. It is important to invest in a young person’s experience of school and their life outside of it.”

As The Gaff!’s new development officer, Helen will collaborate with trustees, schools and the wider community, secure funding, raise the initiative’s profile and develop projects such as skills building sessions.

She explained: “The Gaff! works closely with young people to ensure we deliver what they want while meeting our charitable aims. One of these aims is that we can offer a variety of sessions through the week and not just on weekends.

“We want to be able to offer young people the chance to develop career-ready skills, as well as sessions that feed into their interests and hobbies while supporting their mental health and wellbeing.”

She finished: “I want to utilise the voice of the young people in our community while continuing to link with our fantastic local businesses and groups to offer more memorable experiences that might not otherwise be accessible in school or at home.”

For more information visit https://www.thegaff-forres.co.uk/, @thegaff_forres on Instagram, https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094879303900&locale=en_GB or email Helen at thegaff.forres.2023@gmail.com