Playschemes in the borough for 14 year olds

hi there, does anyone know of any playschemes locally or in the borough for 14 year olds. unfortunately my mum is no longer able to care for my daughter in the holidays and my daughter is not responsible enough to be left whilst i am at work during the summer holidays. With 2 weeks to go until summer break i am struggling to find anything that goes up to my daughters age range and desperately need to find somewhere.

if anyone knows of any for teens. please do post and let me know.

Many thanks

Jade

Jade

all the ones i know stop at 12-give Southwark's family info line a call on 0800 0130639 (i think!)they should be able to tell you of anything local

Track down your local councillor and give them a hard time. A roasting they won't forget.

The council's youth provision is a disgrace.

My kids now tend to sign up for sports stuff. Not much is local. We are near Vauxhall so the kids can get themselves to Earlsfield and the wonderful Spencer Club which offers cricket, tennis and hockey courses. There will be other sports clubs further East. The athletics stadium in Battersea Park also does week long courses (indeed Wandsworth is pretty good on activites for teenagers and their website would be worth a look.) Fulham FC, and possibly Charlton, run girls football courses but again not local. Daughter would have done a weeks swimming camp in Hammersmith, but the pool is closed for maintenance. Also worth seeing what is on at the private schools in Dulwich. They rent out their facilities to a range of operators offering different activities.

These all involve journeys, but we have taken the view that if kids are to learn to find their own way around London they might as well start during the daytime in summer.

The freebie magazine Families South West had a long list of different activites within their catchment and also Dulwich. There is apparently a sister magazine Families South East, may have put together a similar list, but I have never come across it. (These magazines have a website which would be worth a look.) Libraries also sometimes have lists of local activities.

Coin Street might be worth a shot.

If your daughter is not so keen on sport (mine appears to be powered by Durocell and the challenge is to wear her out) the Unicorn may offer courses, as might other local institutions. Or why not see if Surrey Quays farm is interested in a volunteer?

I agree with you though. Kids of this age can't simply be left at home, they need something to do.

The latest edition of Southwark Life came through the door yesterday. It had lots of summer activities (and a website for more) listed for all age groups, including older teens, and not just sport.

She can go to another schools playscheme not just her own and some are aimed at 11-14 years

Family information service
Freephone: 0800 013 0639
[email protected]
www.southwark.gov.uk/cypdirectory
15 Spa Road
London
SE16 3QW
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm (and out of hours answerphone)

It's an awkward age, isn't it? But looking back, I can't help wishing our own daughter were a year or two younger so that I could insist that she signs up for organised activities over the summer...

Have you checked out London 'Summer Uni'?
http://www.summerunilondon.org/

The Southwark programme is aimed at 10-19 year-olds (it says here), and a lot of it appears to be free:
http://www.whtvr.org/things-to-do/southwark-summer-university

If she's interested in acting or theatre in general, a brilliant option is the Oval House Theatre's Youth Arts summer school, which runs for three weeks from 27 July. Our daughter took part a couple of years ago & really enjoyed it. Other local theatres may well run similar schemes -- which would no doubt also be brilliant...

Oh and if she can get to Rotherhithe easily, there's a holiday scheme for 8-14 year-olds at the Brunel Museum (arts, crafts, circus skills etc.):
http://www.southwark.gov.uk/YourCouncil/ourcampaigns/yourcommunity/more/schemes.html

Actually, there's lots going for that age group. I want to be a teenager again, too!

Good luck!