Two organisations working with young people on different scales, 12 young people and a team of enthusiastic staff. The result? A Family Fun Day in Croydon North End on Saturday to raise money for a great cause.

JAGS Foundation and The Challenge are joining forces to bring a great community fund-raising event to the people of Croydon this Saturday, September 19, where proceeds will go to JAGS Foundation.

JAGS Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation based in Croydon, with the motto “keeping hope alive in young people”, providing opportunities in the community. The Challenge is a national programme under the National Citizen Service (NCS) working with 16-to-17-year-olds. The programme is broken down into four parts, and the event day in which the collaboration takes place comes under the social action day of the programme.

The Challenge provides key skills to young people hoping to go into employment or attend university, learning new skills, making great friends and having an experience they’ll never forget, and JAGS provides support and guidance to vulnerable young people who are involved in or at risk of becoming involved in gang culture, and acts as a resource for young people to get into education, employment or training.

The youth volunteers will take instagram pictures with an instagram board, have face painting for younger children, and will be selling homemade cakes and sweets. They will also be conducting a questionnaire with other young people on their own personal safety and how schools are engaging with the question of youth violence.

Money raised will be used for a youth violence campaign – the Choosing Another Route: Empowerment (CARE) programme, which is a flagship schools project for vulnerable girls aged between 11 and 18 at risk of gangs and sexual exploitation, from socially deprived areas in Lambeth.

The community event should certainly brighten up this weekend in Surrey Street Market and outside Croydon Voluntary Action, from 11am to 4pm. Look out for a bunch of enthusiastic and smiley teenagers with a JAGS logo.

• Inside Croydon Events: for dates and links to what’s happening in and around Croydon, updated daily, click here

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