We give priority to Lewisham groups working with disadvantaged people.

The demand for the Centre is such that we have developed this statement to help us prioritise applications, to ensure that we make best use of our resources.

Groups we work with will have/do all (or most) of the following:

• aims and objectives (a purpose) for their visit
• competent staff (paid or unpaid) with an identified Leader accompanying the group and appropriate staffing levels
• at least one staff member is not accompanied by their own children
• accountable to the wider community
• produce accounts
• a recognised group with a formal structure/purpose
• own public liability insurance
• affiliation to a recognised organisation
• constitution
• elected management committee
• open access to all who meet their criteria
• will work with different users on each visit during the year
• are non profit-making organisations

We will work with self help groups who will not be able to comply with the above for a year from their first booking, to give them a chance to develop formal structures etc.

Generally, we do not work with:

• main stream education (see Note 1)
• uniform groups

We will not work with:

• “spin-offs”
• groups that are “exclusive/cliques”
• unstructured groups of friends and family
• groups where a working relationship between staff and clients has not been established

If we are in doubt about a group, we will limit access to one booking a year.

Note 1:

The Centre will be available to school groups on a Monday-Friday basis during the Autumn and Spring terms.

The Venture is committed to policy and practice in respect of Equal Opportunities, and the elimination of all forms of discrimination, be it based upon race, class, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religious belief or age.