CANDI

About the Company

CANDI is a youth and community charity based in Cinderford.

CANDI Drop-in opened in 1995 at 31 Market Street, Cinderford. It ran three evening sessions and two weekend sessions each week. It soon became clear that the young people wanted more from CANDI and an Information and Advice Centre was opened 4 days a week and provided access to general information and signposting to specialist organisations. CANDI worked in partnership with the NHS to deliver weekly Healthwise sessions to support young people’s general health, and in particular their sexual health.

The premises supported other members of the community by enabling several other specialist organisations to use it as a venue to meet clients who lived in the Forest.

CANDI established several activity groups including a young mum’s group, street dance group and a range of arts and cooking sessions, as well as taking part in Forest Area Youth events. An advisory group was formed to ensure that young people had a major say on what was happening in their local community and how CANDI was operated and what services it provided.

Unfortunately, the pandemic struck and CANDI closed it’s premises during lockdown. Shortly after that, the Project Manager and several long-serving trustees retired. A Youth Worker was employed and the Drop-in re-opened under its new name of YouthSpace. Four new trustees were recruited. One became Safeguarding Lead, one the Treasurer and Company Secretary and one involved with the successful CANDI Dance troupe.

In the second half of 2022, CANDI YouthSpace has begun to grow again with a range of activities provided by outside agencies and the premises have been decorated throughout. In 2023 CANDI employed a Community Project Worker to promote links with the community and start up new community groups – Women’s Space and Lunch Club being the first. Our premises are available for other charitable organisations such as Diverse Leap, Honour Thy Woman, Sportily and Wyldwood Arts. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, CANDI is beginning to thrive again.