AS 2020 dawns, one charity that works with young people to tackle anti-social behaviour is looking ahead to a bright future and its first successful year in business.

Got2B is a newly launched community interest company which has a vision to ‘provide good quality anti-oppressive youth work in the community’.

The charity delivers projects that include mentoring, single gender work, emotional intelligence and issue-based work such as drug and alcohol use, physical, mental and sexual health.

The project mainly works with young people of secondary school age in West Oxfordshire.

Marion Harley and Julie Edwards are the driving force behind the charity, having worked together since 2006 as youth support workers.

They both attended Ruskin College together and graduated with honours degrees in Youth and Community Work.

Marion, 53, said of the relationship: “Between us we have a vast range of knowledge and have amassed in excess of 50 years of practical experience.

“We are both mothers of teenagers and have a genuine understanding of the issues faced by young people and their carers.”

Asked about what the New Year holds for the young charity she said: “2020 will be our first full year in business.

“We really want to provide young people in Witney and Carterton with access to a highly experienced qualified youth worker.

“We have current funding requests pending with Oxfordshire County Council, Carterton and Witney Town Councils and the Police Property Act Fund.

“Having spent the last six years or so dreaming and planning about starting Got2B we hope 2020 will be our year.”

The charity also learned over the Christmas holiday period that it has been successful in receiving a Youth Safety Grant.

That funding, through the West Oxfordshire District Council Community Safety Partnership will be used to continue its Youth Café for a further six weeks.

The cafe - the charity’s first project - is hosted at the Coffee Shed on the Leys in Witney.

Speaking of the goals of the charity Marion said: “We aim to engage young people by providing an alternative to anti-social activities.

“Giving them a space and voice with trusted adults, leading to an increased feeling of safety within the community and hopefully reducing crime.”

Asked about some of the biggest issues facing the organisation’s work she said funding was their ‘biggest obstacle’.

She said: “As local authority youth provision ceased in 2011, funding for youth work has been reduced and even third sector organisations have been squeezed to the limit.

“Got2B strongly believe that professional youth workers need to be recognised for their highly skilled work and should receive professional employment terms and conditions.

“Our staff are our biggest asset and as such our biggest expense.

“We are not certain we will be successful in our bids for funding and we are constantly looking for further funding.

“The bidding process is quite stressful and we are left on tenterhooks waiting for decision dates.”

Speaking of the demand for the services locally she said: “Young people in Witney and Carterton haven’t had access to non-targeted youth workers for a number of years. Got2B fills this gap, and is a one-stop-shop for young people today.

“None of the current teenagers have experienced the benefits of engaging with a non-judgemental, trusted youth worker.

“Our recent eight-week project has seen a total of 103 contacts with young people. They have told us that they have nowhere to go and nothing else to do.

“In the current climate of anti-social behaviour, child criminal exploitation and knife crime the need for youth work is greater now than ever.”

Speaking of the impact the charity has on young people she said it was difficult to measure.

She explained: “How do you know that a conversation with one young person will make a difference to their future or to anyone else who is listening in?

“Having said that there are some clear outcomes such as young people no longer climbing on the roof of the coffee shed; or locking their social media accounts following a discussion about cyber safety.

“Many of the young people we have worked with in the past have contributed to our crowdfunding page for start-up costs and some have expressed an interest in volunteering at our sessions.”

The charity does not yet hold fundraising events but said it is ‘grateful for your continued support throughout the year.’

New premises are also being sought in Witney and Carterton for drop-in sessions.

For more information on the charity visit the website at got2b.org.uk.