18 June 2009
New services for young people
A new £157,000 high-tech mobile Youth Bus and £30,000 three-storey Just@sk youth information centre have been officially opened in Bridgend County Borough.
Based at Wyndham Street in Bridgend town centre, the Just@sk centre will offer young people aged 11-25 the chance to get drop-in advice and guidance while using the centre’s wide range of facilities.
Youth workers, facilitators, peer educators and representatives from partner agencies such as the Bridgend Local Health Board will be available at the centre to provide young people with instant, up-to-date and reliable information that will help them make the right choices in life.
Acting as a base for Youth Services in the county borough as well as a place where young people can hang out, the Just@sk centre features facilities for providing confidential counselling, health advice, training classes, support for young parents and young people who are not in education, a crèche, a chill-out lounge and many other services.
A computer suite provides internet and digi-lab access and a fully equipped kitchen will be used to teach young people how to cook and live independently. The centre will also offer dance classes, hair and beauty sessions, film nights, multimedia equipment, craft and hobby demonstrations and act as a base for the Bridgend Youth Council.
Meanwhile, the state of the art Youth Bus will act as a smaller, more mobile version of the Just@sk centre. Featuring computer facilities and internet access, the bus is a partnership project between the voluntary and statutory youth service. It will travel around different communities throughout Bridgend County Borough to provide services to young people who may not be as likely to travel to the Just@sk centre.
Councillor Alana Davies, Cabinet member for Children and Young People, said: “Here in Bridgend County Borough, our Youth Service runs a range of projects designed to provide young people with advice and guidance so that every choice they make is based on the best possible information.
“Young people are at the centre of everything that the Youth Service does. They are encouraged to become actively involved in projects which affect them and to also let other 11-25 year-olds know what services are out there for them.
“Nothing is more important than the welfare of the children and young people of Bridgend County Borough. Whether it’s through our schools, through our safeguarding services or through the Youth Service, we will continue to do all we can to make life better for all young people.”
Councillor Mel Nott, Leader of Bridgend County Borough Council, added: “Both the Just@sk youth information centre and Youth Bus form part of a major investment in services for young people in Bridgend County Borough.
“The Just@sk centre previously occupied a smaller space in Caroline Street, but the move to a much bigger three-storey building has allowed us to provide a wider range of services from a single location.
“The Youth Bus will also play an important role in helping the authority provide services to harder-to-reach children. Thanks to its mobile nature, it can target a specific community for as long as it is needed before moving on.
“Together with our partners, we have a very dedicated team of professionals who work closely with children and young people in Bridgend County Borough to provide a wide range of specialised advice and training.
“Whether it is how to find accommodation, handle household bills and cook food or how to make films, gain training skills and find a job, they are there to give young people everything they need to succeed in life.”
The Just@sk youth information centre is located at 6/6a Wyndham Street in Bridgend town centre and is fully accessible. Funding for the Youth Bus and Just@sk youth information centre has been provided by Bridgend County Borough Council and the Welsh Assembly Government.
For more information about the Youth Service in Bridgend County Borough, call 01656 724057, email justask@bridgend.gov.uk or visit the Youth Service homepage at www.bridgend.gov.uk/youthservice
- Last Updated: 22/06/2009
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