MEMBERS of a youth group are trying to raise £25,000 for a new minibus to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the charity.

Step – Swindon Ten to Eighteen Project – helps youngsters who are experiencing problems due to a lack of social skills, personal circumstances or poverty.

The group works with each child for about 18 months to help them learn life and social skills and work towards certificates of achievement.

On Saturday the youngsters helped shoppers at Asda supermarket in West Swindon pack their shopping into bags to raise funds.

Joanna Bryant, project director at Step, said: “We do a lot of long-term therapeutic group work with the young people to help them learn particular skills, whether it is problem solving, anger management, assertiveness, communication skills, sex and relationships or drug and alcohol awareness.

“It’s all about teaching them to get along with one another and what is appropriate behaviour.”

Many of the youngsters are referred to them by children’s services, social workers or through educational psychologists.

But many are referred by their schools if they are seen to be not coping with mainstream schooling or not reaching their full potential.

The charity has a minibus, which is uses to collect the youngsters and transport them to the sessions, but it can often take more than an hour to collect everyone.

Ms Bryant said: “We have decided we are going to up our community fundraising this year.

“It was our 25th anniversary last year and we thought we would try and raise £25,000 in our 25th year to celebrate.

“The bag packing event was to help raise funds but also it gives the youngsters a little bit more self confidence having to communicate and help people - and they all volunteered to take part.

“All the feedback we have had has been about how polite they are.”

Chris Wilkins who is 14, was one of those who volunteered to take part.

He said: “I’ve been with Step for about 18 months and I’ve learnt a lot about peer pressure and bullying and also how to cook too. I have found it really useful and today was really fun helping out and raising money.”