“Face Your Fears for BYHP” Campaign 2016

​Every single day young people face all manner of difficult challenges which continue as they grow up and enter the world of adulthood and responsibility. 

At BYHP we work with hundreds of young people each year who have been thrust into that world very early and are completely unprepared. They are also forced to face additional challenges like family breakdown, homelessness or mental health problems. 

These young people must face their challenges head on every day, often with very different fears to those that most of us experience.  

We have at least two young people who have a fear of public transport; it is the fear of the unknown, of being on a bus or train and not sure where they have to alight, fearful of other passengers and crowds.  

These fears can incapacitate someone who is already suffering from low self-esteem and lacking in confidence; without long-term, on-going support it can be almost impossible to move on.  

Another challenge for a young and homeless person is simply raising deposits for private rented accommodation and finding and speaking to landlords who are willing to accept housing benefit recipients as tenants.

BYHP offers an employability programme called “Unlocking Potential” which takes young people aged 16 to 25 (classified as “NEETs” - Not in Education, Employment or Training) with limited opportunities, aspirations and education and helps them discover a passion for learning and self-development which mostly results in employment, training or further learning opportunities.

By working with these young people we have discovered that they often have fears which prevent them moving forward. Their personal struggles are often with confidence, fear of attending a job interview, using public transport, of speaking in public; all of which can provoke great anxiety.

To try to get people to understand the sort of fears our young people face day in day out and in order to raise funds to help these young people overcome those fears, BYHP is challenging its supporters to come forward and “Face Your Fears for BYHP” gaining sponsorship to confront their own particular fears.​

The first person to face their fears is Beverley Bates, Director of the Retreat at Ekko Ltd, who has an overwhelming fear of heights. Beverley has agreed to sit in a 2 seater stunt plane whist the pilot performs aerobatic manoeuvres such as barrel rolls, dives, vertical climbs and anything else he can think of to ensure this challenge is not easy. There will be a go-pro camera recording every move so you can feel the fear with her. 

Beverley will be facing her fear on 28th February (weather permitting) and can be supported by sponsoring her on the following link:

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/BeverleyAerobaticStuntsForBYHP

Beverley had this to say about her challenge and why she wanted to do this for us:

“I'm fully aware of the importance of facing your fears - have always known that outside of your comfort zone is where the magic happens. " Feel the fear and do it anyway" is our family mantra. It seems so silly to feel scared when all you have to do is compare your life to someone who is permanently in an uncomfortable place both mentally and physically”

Beverley added:
 
“Raising funds by being scared for a short period of time is the least I can do to help BYHP help give their youngsters a secure future. If everyone took a moment to think about what is their own real fear, and what it would be like to feel this on a daily basis , as many do that have personal struggles." 

Beverley’s daughter had a similar fear and you can watch her, and see what Beverley is in for, on YouTube:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=viHniSn-ujw&feature=youtu.be_

So 2016 is the year we are planning to face our fears and challenging the local Banbury Community to #FaceYourFears for BYHP with us.

For more about Beverley and BYHP see:
www.facebook.com/TheRetreatatEkkoEquestrian and http://www.byhp.org.uk

If you would like to “Face Your Fears for BYHP” please contact Linda.Slide@BYHP.org.uk