We are a group of young people running a safe nightclub for 11–16 year olds, giving safety information and advice

Who we are…
21 young people, and around 450 coming to SNAP Nights

Where we’re based…
Dorchester, Dorset

When we started…
September 2006

How we started…
As Dorchester Youth Extra, the youth council, we surveyed our peers who said that there were very few activities for them and it was difficult to access information and advice. Research led us to the SNAP (Say No And Phone) nights, a Crimestoppers anti-drugs initiative combining a nightclub with advice/information. We wrote a proposal, found a venue and gained funding to run Dorchester SNAP Nights.

Our work…
Our SNAP nights run once every half term and holiday and twice in the summer holidays. The nightclub is over two floors with the advice and information in the front area. The steering group – including representatives from the youth council, local youth service, PCT, police, council, advice and information service – meets every two months to plan the next SNAP night. The SNAP volunteers do the publicity and work on the night, plus act as unofficial mentors when at school.

Future plans…
Our nights will continue to run, with new funding for a minibus to pick up from outlying villages. The next stage is to get young people to officially become SNAP members with a SNAP ID card that can be used locally for age ID.

For more information…
01305 252204
07971 220 067
s.bickle@westdorset-dc.gov.uk

“The project has been a success as it has given young people somewhere to go, other than just to hang around on the streets, somewhere to go where they can get dressed up and meet their mates. It has been great to see all the information leaflets being taken, and I have learnt a lot about drug and alcohol safety myself through being involved with the project.”
Ceri Staplin, aged 16, who co-wrote the project proposal