Weekly provision is back at youth centres in Chandler’s Ford and Fair Oak
A popular service for young people is returning to the Chandler’s Ford and Fair Oak areas. It has been put in place by the two Local Area Committees, working with Youth Options, the registered charity that empowers and supports children and young people across Hampshire to improve their life opportunities for a better future.
Youth Options have officially started new weekly drop-in sessions at The Loft (The Hilt, Hiltingbury Recreation Ground), Fryern Hill Pavilion, and the YZone centre, Fair Oak. Their team of youth support workers have been running community outreach and youth-led consultations to shape a quality service across the two areas.
The evening sessions are for young people aged 10 to 19 years (or up to the age of 24 for tailored 1:1 support) and are open access. They are themed around anything the young people want to talk about and have games and other activities available. The sessions take place at:
- The Loft: Fridays, 6pm to 8.30pm
- Fryern Pavilion: Thursdays, 6pm to 8.30pm
- Fair Oak (AKA YZone): Thursdays, 6pm to 8.30pm (with another session due to be added)
This forms a wider single contract, which included the Eastleigh Local Area Committee working with Youth Options to reinstate weekly drop-in sessions at the Energy Youth Centre in Eastleigh town centre last year.
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.
Users and their families across the four youth centres can keep updated on the Youth Options website and their social accounts. Their original website and social accounts are being 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.