Young people to benefit from redevelopment of 44 youth centres

The plans will see 44 youth centres up and down the country benefit, sharing a slice of a £70 million cash injection via the Youth Investment Fund.

This includes The Chichester Shed, which will benefit from a £420,000 renovation which will offer constant open access to young people in the evenings and throughout the holidays. On top of this, the centre will be able to support an additional 121 young people, with a custom built space boasting everything from a community garden to a graffiti wall. During the day, the centre will be used to support young people not in education, employment or training by helping them develop vital life skills.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said the money should make sure every young person has “someone to talk to, something to do, somewhere to go,” and as many as 12,000 11 to 18 year olds across the country set to benefit.

Alongside all of this, the National Lottery Community Fund has confirmed it will match fund the government’s initial commitment of £11 million to the Million Hours Fund, bringing the final total to £22 million.

Announced in March, as part of the Prime Minister’s Anti-Social Behaviour Plan , the move will see hundreds of organisations in areas of need able to stay open for an extra night a week, with support guaranteed until March 2026.

Culture Secretary Lucy Fraser said: “I want every young person to have the opportunity to access the kinds of life-changing activities which expand their horizons and allow them to develop vital life skills.

“These next 44 youth centres will give 12,000 more young people the opportunity to access these activities, building on the first tranche of Youth Investment Fund investment that is seeing new projects like the Alt Valley Communiversity opening in Liverpool and support for Scouts and Girlguiding groups to reduce their waiting lists.

We will make sure every young person has someone to talk to, something to do, somewhere to go.”