At NE Youth, we’re committed to providing the very best to our service users and member network. Every year, we leave the office behind for our annual staff conference – as we work on so many varying projects during the year, it’s our opportunity to spend quality time together in learning, team-building and fun! This year, it took place in the beautiful setting of Harrogate, North Yorkshire.

After travelling down via coach on Friday morning, to The Harrogate Inn, supported by The Inn Collection Group we got straight to work with an excellent LGBT+ workshop from Harriet Sowerby from Humankind that educated and inspired some great discussion points from our staff.

We enjoyed a tasty lunch, before an afternoon with further workshops and breakout activities from Quinn, Dan and Jamie as well as our Wellbeing Committee’s Rachael, Jaymee and Dan (again!).

After a busy day, we ate together and gathered for our yearly awards ceremony! Winners Claire, Sam and Jamie were presented with their trophies to loud cheers and applause from colleagues.

In the morning, there was a brilliant team-building session in the bright open air from Live For Today. This brought our staff together to participate in several tasks that tested trust, communication, problem-solving and creativity! In a close contest, Team Biscuit (their choice, not ours) ran out as winners of this year’s Annual Staff Conference.

After a quick bite, we were on our way home, energised and ready to launch into a busy autumn period.

A group of people are sat at a long wooden table, in discussion as they look at folders in front of them in a moodily-lit room bordered by bookshelves with books and other items. A female speaker dressed in loose beige clothing stands as she delivers a seminar. She stands next to a striped wing-back armchair and Victorian fireplace. A lit screen is above her, linked to a laptop on an adjacent table. A group of people are sat at a long wooden table, listening intently to a speaker. They are wearing pointed party hats as part of a team-building task. Colleagues talk as they try to solve a puzzle in their team-building task. Two wear sunglasses. The backdrop is an Edwardian stone building. A group of colleagues stand together on a patch of grass in Harrogate, England. They await the beginning of outdoor team-building games, dressed in NE Youth clothing. Two young men look directly into the camera, pointing and giving a thumbs-up. Both white, bearded men smile. One is wearing glasses. A group of colleagues work together in a problem-solving task outdoors. A young white woman with brown hair wearing sunglasses smiles as she looks in the distance. A team of colleagues await instructions in a picturesque green setting with trees, plants and grass surrounding them. Three white females, sat on grass, laugh together at something unseen. A white male, wearing a blue top smiles at something off camera. He is white, with grey hair and a grey beard. One white male and one white female high-five to the backdrop of a green park. Hands are visible close up, holding two small parts of a Russian Doll in a blindfolded team-building task. Team members stand, blindfolded, awaiting instructions. A team of colleagues receive instructions in a picturesque green setting with trees, plants and grass surrounding them.