THE LOT of young people in inner cities has been well documented yet the fate of those in rural areas is sometimes forgotten. However, within Gloucestershire, it has long been recognised that young people face the same issues as their urban dwelling counterparts - and more. Gazette feature writer KIRSTY RAMSDEN spoke to rural youth worker for the Stroud district Mike Haddock to find out more.

THE YOUTH service in Gloucestershire is nationally respected for its work and achievements, proudly explained rural youth worker Mike Haddock.

One of the largest counties in the country, Gloucestershire is generally a rural region with associated issues at its heart.

Mr Haddock, who works from Wotton-under-Edge Youth Centre, is the rural youth worker for the Stroud district.

Stroud Rural Youth Project team - two full-timers and 15 hours part-time - travels into the rural parishes to meet the young people in their own environment.

With more than 50 parishes within the Stroud district, youth workers have a heavy load.

Mr Haddock said: "There is a full-time youth work presence in most of the towns - our role is anything outside that.

"We try to locate the young people not accessing the services available." Transport, of course, is a difficult issue for young people living in rural areas.

A surprising number of households do not have access to cars, explained Mr Haddock.

Lack of transport can result in some young people having little contact with friends outside school, he said.

He added youngsters living in rural communities faced the same issues as those from cities but also had to address the issue of social isolation. The rural youth project aims to redress that balance.

This can be by simply using a people carrier to transport youngsters to venues such as an ice-skating rink or bowling alley or to bring services to them.

The project is the proud owner of a skate-boarding ramp.

The team also support adults who want to launch youth clubs within their parishes. This support can be in the form of training, support and lending equipment.

The project also aims to encourage networking between young people from different villages.

Developing initial links between youngsters and the project was a slow and steady process, explained Mr Haddock.

Trust and a relationship had to be built up slowly, he said.

The workers visit the rural community to find out where the young people are, be it at a bus shelter or wherever.

Then a relationship between the youngsters and youth workers is slowly developed.

Mr Haddock added: "Rural isolation can lead to young people having a lack of confidence in their communities."

Many youngsters did not see their futures within their communities, particularly because of rising house prices, he explained.

To further empower young people, the youth workers in Stroud have launched a peer education project.

The service recruits and trains young people in a range of practical skills such as running workshops and consultancy.

The youngsters will then work with other young people to deliver workshops on subjects such as sexual health and drug awareness.

As well as imparting information, running workshops increases the peer education members' knowledge on particular issues, explained Mr Haddock.

The youngsters in the peer education project are called upon to act as consultants for regional organisations, such as parish councils and health trusts, and national bodies, including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Youth support worker Sally Coyne said the age of those within the peer education project ranged from 15 to 20 and at present up to 20 youngsters were taking part.

Mr Haddock said: "The project gives them confidence and new skills."

The youngsters taking part can, if they wish, work toward an accreditation equivalent to NVQ level 2.

He said: "Several have mentioned an improvement in the way they work in school." Others, he added, have found themselves being asked for advice and information from friends at school.

The peer education project is developing a workshop on drug awareness to deliver to parents from September.

This, it is hoped, will give parents a greater understanding of the issues involved and help them communicate with their children about the subject.

Traditionally the youth service covers the 13 to 19-year-old range but the rural project can work either side of this, as friendship age groups tend to be broader in isolated communities.

To contact the project e-mail sallyrural@wottonyc.fsnet.co.uk or call Mike Haddock on 07966 766985 or Sally Coyne on 07980 556818.

Pictured: Mike Haddock, rural youth development worker, and Sally Coyne, rural support worker, at Wotton Youth Centre GSR621H03