Energy Youth Centre is back with weekly youth provision in town centre
An enhanced youth service for the Eastleigh town centre area has been put in place by the Eastleigh Local Area Committee, working with Youth Options for the autumn term onwards.
Youth Options are officially starting new youth drop-in sessions two times a week at Energy Youth Centre (opposite The Point Eastleigh) from Tuesday 25 October, after a soft launch, as local young people settle into their new school year. Their team of youth support workers have been running community outreach and youth-led consultations to shape a quality service across the town centre area.
This forms a wider single contract, which include The Chandler’s Ford & Hiltingbury and Bishopstoke, Fair Oak & Horton Heath Local Area Committees also working with Youth Options to soon hold new weekly drop-in sessions at YZone youth centres in Fair Oak, Fryern and Hiltingbury.
The community outreach element, delivered in local parks and shopping areas, will continue across all four youth centre areas, alongside the new regular centre-based drop-in sessions, as they become available.
YZone and Energy Youth Centre users can now keep updated on the Youth Options website and their social accounts. The old Energy Youth and YZone Centres’ website and social accounts will be phased out over the coming months.
Youth Options are a familiar presence in local youth outreach, they run outdoor learning projects in Bishopstoke and at the Borough Council-operated Itchen Valley Country Park and manage sports and leisure services at The Hub in Bishopstoke. They are also contracted to provide community outreach sessions three nights a week for areas covered by the Bursledon, Hamble & Hound Local Area Committee.
Across Hedge End and West End, the Town and Parish Councils provide youth services through their community centres and hubs; part-funded by the Hedge End, West End & Botley Local Area Committee.
Pictured L-R: Cabinet Member for Health Councillor Tonia Craig, Gina Thorley (Creative [Community] Projects Producer at The Point Eastleigh) and Molly Foulkes (Creative Young People's Producer at The Point Eastleigh)