New chapter for Tiverton youth centre
Tiverton Youth Centre, one of Devon County Council's eight youth hubs, starts a new chapter this week with its first sessions since the service was restructured.
To many through the doors, the open access sessions will look and feel the same, offering the popular activities that they already enjoy: sports, cooking, art and information, advice and guidance.
But the multifunctional hub will also be a base from which trained youth workers will deliver a combination of targeted support to vulnerable young people via schools and in communities alongside social work teams.
Staff will also provide some outreach support to other local groups across Mid Devon who have expressed interest in providing youth activities.
Devon County Council is currently working with Town and Parish Councils, secondary schools and voluntary organisations, who have shown an interest in taking over youth centres previously run by Devon County Council Youth Service.
At the John Tallack centre in Cullompton, the Town Council has taken over running the service with support by centre users, while the service in South Molton is also being returned to the Town Council. Chumleigh’s Youth Centre is being taken over by Chumleigh Academy and a local voluntary youth organisation.
Open sessions will run from the Tiverton hub on Mondays, Thursdays and from the 14 November on Friday evenings (see the centre's Facebook page for times and age groups), but to mark the start of the new sessions next week, the doors will be open between 3.30pm and 4.30pm, Monday to Friday, and there will be hot dogs, cheese toasties and hot chocolate on each day to greet old and the new faces that the service is hoping to attract.
Councillor James McInnes, Devon County Council's Cabinet Member with responsibility for the youth service said:
"Youth workers will provide a range of support including targeted work directly with vulnerable young people, as well as open access sessions to all young people from the youth hub. They will also offer support to local groups interested in providing youth activities themselves."
Councillor Des Hannon, local Member for Tiverton East, said: "I'm relieved we get to keep our Youth Centre as a hub. This shows how important it is to our community.
"Both my kids enjoyed the centre's facilities. It's a friendly and exciting place to meet up, away from boring parents and out of the rain.
"I particularly invite High School students to grab the chance of a snack on the way home from school next week. See what's on offer and then come back for the evenings with your friends."
For information about what's going on at Tiverton youth centre, as well as opening times, visit the Tiverton Youth Centre Facebook page. Or contact the Area Youth Worker, Jenny Lindow on 01844 252642.
