Hot Chocolate Trust

Hot Chocolate Trust - Ethos

Hot Chocolate’s work with the young people has always been driven by their needs and desires, and continues to survive and evolve through their ownership over the project. Hot Chocolate is committed to recognising and meeting the needs of the young people on Dundee, learning from them in all areas of the work and sharing lives and experiences.
“In working with young people, do not try to call them back to where they were, and do not try to call them to where you are, as beautiful as that place may seem to you. You must have the courage to go with them to a place that neither you nor they have ever been before.”
From Vincent Donovan’s ‘Christianity Rediscovered’

Aims and Objectives

Hot Chocolate will provide a project for young people designed to increase their self-esteem, knowledge of their gifts and belief in their own potential.
By providing a forum for the development of their interests in music, visual arts and sport, and for the exploration of issues of faith and morality, Hot Chocolate will encourage their positive interaction with the communities of which they are a part.

Hot Chocolate aims…

to build
an environment where the young people are safe, where they feel they belong and which they have ownership of, and where positive relationships can be developed;

to develop
the project in line with the expressed interests of the young people involved. This includes, but is not restricted to, music, art, film, and outdoor pursuits;

to involve
the young people in the consultation process of the project, giving them the opportunity to suggest ideas and facilitating them in carrying out their suggestions wherever possible;

to explore
the young people’s views and concepts of community, citizenship (local, national and global), belonging, expression, labelling, categorising, stereotypes and issues of belief, including additional, and entirely optional, opportunities to explore the Christian faith;

to support
the young people through transition stages by helping them to access advice and help, while supporting and developing the skills and mentoring roles of the volunteers;

to ensure
the project is non-prejudiced and open to all young people regardless of religion, race, culture, health, sexuality and politics. The only restriction is age; it is limited to secondary school and above, up to and including the age of 21.