What We Offer
NAYC
Our offer for affiliated youth groups and clubs
NAYC is here to help set up and support local youth groups.
We’ve developed our youth offering over many years to ensure we meet local needs with the right team and tools.
We are here for you
Our Youth Development team are available to offer advice and support with all matters relating to your youth group. Our team work countywide and it is best to contact our office first by emai
- yd@nayc.org
- 01604 499699 from 9-4.30pm (Mon-Fri)
Advice and Support
Our experienced team has knowledge in many areas of work with youth groups, such as fundraising, policies & procedures, volunteers, good practice, and consultations. If we do not have the relevant information you need, then we will assist you to find this information. We are here to support you at every stage from setting up and developing your youth provision to sustaining your group for the long term.
We can provide specialist support to youth groups if you have young members with additional needs.
We keep in regular contact with you through email, phone, social media, website and our newsletter. We publicise a variety of information to support your youth group work, including opportunities from other youth organisations.
Good to know: We send out most information and updates to the main contact named on your affiliation form.
We also arrange visits to meet you and the young people, and this is usually the same time that we run an activity session for your group (see Group Visits).
NAYC Toolkit
This is an essential resource that provides everything you need to know about running a youth group, from administration to youth participation, and programme planning to funding. The Toolkit, developed by NAYC has a comprehensive selection of template documents, including policies and procedures for Safeguarding and Health and Safety.
As an affiliated member you will have access to the Toolkit which we can send to your group upon request.
Group Visits
Your annual affiliation gives you up to 6 free group visits per year. These visits could be a Games Activity or Craft Session run by our trained staff, or we can also offer a tailored session on a particular topic, such as Wellbeing, with prior agreement. There is a small charge for craft items or other resources used to run the session.
You can book more than 6 sessions per year but any additional sessions will be charged at £15 per session plus the cost of craft items or other resources used.
We provide these visits as part of your affiliation, but we would welcome any donations towards our costs of travel and resources which will enable us to sustain this service to you.
Please contact the NAYC office on yd@nayc.org to arrange a visit.
NAYC Games and Activities Pack
Our Games Pack is another essential resource exclusive to NAYC affiliated groups. We have developed an extensive range of over 150 different activities to engage young people in group sessions, and these are a great way to bring in young people and enhance your group. We have games, sports and creative equipment for activities, both indoors and outdoors and usable in various settings and spaces.
Games Pack equipment can be requested when you arrange a visit with us to run an Activity Session in your group, or you can arrange to hire out the equipment yourself following our booking procedure.
Please contact the NAYC office on yd@nayc.org to arrange an activity visit or request the hiring out of Games Pack equipment.
Find the Games Pack here
Affiliated groups can request the Games and Activities with this form:
Crafts
Crafts can be an excellent way of engaging young people in a group activity, gaining their attention, and providing group conversation and learning with a sense of achievement.
Our team includes an experienced and dedicated Arts and Crafts Worker who can visit your group and work with young people to make a variety of craft items that can be taken away.
We offer a range of 30 different craft activity sessions, such as Shrinkits, Sand Art Bracelets and Glass Painting.
Craft activities can be provided as an affiliated group visit but we do charge for resources. Craft prices start at 30p per item, and we would also welcome any donations towards our costs, including travel, which will enable us to sustain this service to you.
These sessions are very popular, so please book early to avoid disappointment and include them in your activities programme.
For more information and to arrange a Craft Session, please contact the NAYC office on yd@nayc.org.
Find the Crafts Booklet here
Training
NAYC understands the value of upskilling group leaders and volunteers to run successful youth groups, particularly in the voluntary sector working with young people. We have designed a practical and accessible training programme to provide you with the essential knowledge and skills to run an effective and safe youth group.
Our training programme includes:
- Safeguarding Awareness
- First Aid for Youth Workers*
- Dealing with Challenging Behaviour
- Basic Youth Work Skills
- Drug & Alcohol Awareness
- Bitesize Wellbeing*
- Youth Gambling Awareness
- Online Safety
- Mental Health First Aid*
(* There is a small charge for these courses.)
We cover the essential learning elements in a 3-hour training session that usually runs on a weekday evening at our King’s Park Conference Centre. Longer sessions may be run on a Saturday. We will also consider running a training session in a local area if numbers permit. Most training is free for affiliated groups, and we repeat most training sessions over the year.
Dates and booking details are sent to the affiliated group contact, they are also put on our website and social media.
Emerging Leaders
Emerging Leaders is our young leaders’ training programme for young people aged 13–17, designed to help them grow in confidence, develop leadership skills, and build character. Each level of the programme blends fun, challenge, and training, with a mix of team activities, practical workshops, and social time. Sessions take place at King’s Park Conference Centre and our ACUK Activity Centres – Pioneer Centre in Shropshire or Whitemoor Lakes in Staffordshire.
The NAYC Youth Development team have been busy refreshing and updating our Emerging Leaders programme for 2025/2026. This new programme has been shaped by valuable feedback from past participants, parents, and youth leaders, ensuring it continues to offer a great balance of fun, challenge, and skills development.
DBS Checks
Ensuring a safe environment for young people is paramount. Along with advice, support and training with regard to safeguarding we provide a DBS check service.
From November 2021 NAYC joined Thirtyone:eight, and we are now processing DBS applications online. We no longer accept paper application forms. The online process is designed to reduce paperwork, postage costs and the time applicants have to wait to receive their certificates.
Current charges for DBS Enhanced Check:
Volunteers – £7.70 Admin Fee plus VAT – Total £9.24
Paid worker – £49.50 DBS Fee (no VAT) & £7.70 Admin Fee plus VAT – Total £58.74
Current charges for DBS Basic Check:
Volunteers & paid workers – £21.50 DBS Fee (no VAT) & £7.70 Admin Fee plus VAT – Total £30.74
Current charges for DBS Standard Check:
Volunteers – £7.70 Admin Fee plus VAT – Total £9.24
Paid workers – £21.50 DBS Fee (no VAT) & £7.70 Admin Fee plus VAT – Total £30.74
(Prices are correct as of 2 December 2024 and are subject to change.)
Please contact dbs@nayc.org for a copy of the guidelines on the new online DBS process and copies of the ‘Self-Declaration Form’ and ‘Verify ID Document (Nov 21)’ that will need to be completed.
NOTE: This online service is only available to affiliated groups and its continuation depends on groups following instructions for use, and providing information that is accurate and complete.
Events
We hold regular organised events for youth groups to come together, with highlights over the years including Night Walk, Cycle Ride, Sports Competitions, Quizzes, Fun Day activities, and our special Annual Awards Celebration.
At our King’s Park Sports Centre, we’ve also hosted a range of activity-based events for youth groups to attend either independently or with others. Popular sessions have included roller skating, tennis, and dodgeball.
Keep an eye on our website, social media, and E-newsletter for the latest event updates.
All events are booked online via our TicketTailor page:
Church Groups
We support a large number of church youth groups across the county with all the regular benefits of affiliation. We also offer specific tailored support for church group leaders, including delivering activity sessions with a Christian message, help in setting up youth discipleship programmes and support with facilitating holiday clubs and camps.
There are also ways in which we can support you in your outreach and mission, from facilitating meetings with community leaders and other churches, to advice on making your message relevant to young people, to linking with local, regional and national Christian youth events.
Please contact the NAYC office on yd@nayc.org to talk to one of our facilitators.
Quality-Assurance (QA)
NAYC works hard to ensure the most effective provision is available for young people across the county, and to support this we offer a Quality Assurance visit report for affiliated groups.
In consultation with you and your leadership team, as well as young people, NAYC can carry out a QA assessment on your youth group. The assessment will cover the following areas:
- Staffing
- Policy & Procedures
- Health & Safety
- Child Protection
- Training
- Monitoring & Evaluation
- Outcomes
Following the QA assessment, NAYC can provide you with initial feedback on your group, with suggestions on areas of development. You can also request a more detailed report and optional debrief if required.
The QA can assist in the development of a new youth group as well as reviewing an existing group. Everyone in your community would want assurance that the current provision you are offering young people is not only safe and run effectively, but is responding to the current needs of the young people.
Please contact the NAYC office on yd@nayc.org to arrange a QA assessment for your group.
ACUK
As an affiliated group you can benefit from a 20% discount at King’s Park Sports. Our outdoor residential centres also have various offers available to youth groups. Please contact each centre directly to enquire about availability.
Pioneer Centre and Whitemoor Lakes are our residential outdoor activity centres. These two centres were built to give youth groups a place to take their young people away on a residential trip where they could escape their busy lives and build strong lasting friendships whilst experiencing the outdoors. These centres have a variety of activities available between them including climbing, abseiling, high ropes, zip wire, caving, sailing, kayaking and more!
King’s Park Conference Centre is a multi-purpose conference facility in Northampton, catering for groups of 20-175. We can provide day facilities or residential bookings and have a variety of meeting and conference spaces.
King’s Park Sports is across our two sports centres (Benham Sports Centre and King’s Park Tennis Centre) we offer a unique and exciting range of sports and activities – including roller skating, rock climbing, tennis, 5-a-side football and much more.
For further details or to make an enquiry please visit our centres websites and please make sure you mention your NAYC affiliation when talking to our centres.
And please contact us on yd@nayc.org if you would like support in organising a residential or trip.
