Shropshire County Council has successfully secured £3.9 million of Government funding to create two new state-of-the-art youth centres offering a range of activities, information and guidance to young people.
The grant, from myplace, a Department for Children, Schools and Families scheme run by the Big Lottery Fund, will be used to bring the TeenSpace Shrewsbury and TeenSpace Oswestry projects to life. The schemes are among only 41 programmes across the country to have been awarded funds in this round.
TeenSpace Shrewsbury will have a chill-out room with a coffee bar and internet café, a performance space with a stage area and a production facility. The centre, at a site to be decided, will also have meeting and interview rooms, office space and a multi-use activity area.
The TeenSpace Oswestry project will see the current youth centre at Oak Street completely rebuilt. The new centre will have IT facilities, a coffee bar, kitchen, multi-media suite, practice and dance room and welcoming reception.
A full range of activities will be provided across both sites including drama, dance, multi-media production, arts and crafts. Both centres will also provide spaces for a one-stop shop for information and guidance.
Councillor Ann Hartley, Cabinet Member for Children's Services said: “I am delighted that we have been able to secure this Government funding to provide our young people with new first-class facilities and increase their opportunities to develop.
“These new centres will give young people places of their own, will allow them to take part in a range of creative activities, and access information, advice and guidance services at times which suit them.”
Adrienne Piers and Graham Price, from Oswestry Youth Centre, both 16 years old, met Beverley Hughes, Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families, in London yesterday (4 March) as part of celebrations to mark successful myplace bids.
Adrienne said: “This is fantastic news for Oswestry and Shrewsbury. However all of Shropshire's teenagers will benefit and I cannot wait to see the new centres opened.”
The council will now develop a more detailed plan within the next six months. Work on the schemes will start when this has been approved.
Issued: 5 March 2009