The Youthy Is Open

The eagerly anticipated opening of the new Youthy on Thornaby Road, took place on Tuesday the 27th August 2002. With the official launch on Friday the 30th August.

(Back view of the new Youthy)

(View from an upstaires window)

(Staircase in Youthy)

Opening Times

(Entrance / ground floor area) The Centre will be open seven days a week. It is anticipated that from Monday to Friday (weekdays) the Centre will be open from 10am until 9pm and on weekends from 12noon until 4pm.

16 - 24 Year Olds

(Internet Cafe area) During the day young people will be able to use the 6.5 metre climbing wall or the free internet cafe. There will be a youth enquiries/connexions service and a number of courses will be starting such as drama skills, how to be a pop star and introductory courses on dance, how to be a club rep, electronics and set design. These are accredited courses from Stockton & Billingham College. Also during the week there will be various projects from within the Five Lamps Organisation such as the Back to Work Grants, Adult Guidance, Jobslink, Venture Capital and Modern Apprenticeships Projects, who will be holding drop-in sessions. There will also be Citizen’s Advice Bureau and Family Planning sessions, all with fully qualified staff.

Under 16’s

(Multi-purpose room for various courses) On an evening during weekdays between 4 - 9pm the Centre will be open to young people under the age of 16. Jo Da Silva, Centre Manager, said “We are looking at a range of activities including drama, dance and DJ skills.”

(Enquiries / Connextions room)

Special Events

(View from the stage) Jo added “We’re hoping to have comedy nights maybe once a month and new bands nights, so we’re interested in any new up and coming bands in the area. Every eight to ten weeks we’ll be holding an under 18’s disco night, for which there will be a small charge.”

(View of the stage)

Facilities

The Centre will have satellite tv, playing MTV, in the lounge areas and there will be a large screen entertainment system for any films or events that the young people wish to watch.
Other projects will be offering their services with a young person’s Credit Union collection point and we ourselves at Thornaby Light will be assisting young people to produce their own newsletter.

Costs

There is a yearly membership fee of £1 for young people aged 11 - 24 and an entrance fee of 30p to enter the Centre, so if a young person used the Centre five nights a week it would only cost them £1.50.

Climbing Wall

The climbing wall will be available to young people, adults and local groups to hire on specific sessions, including weekends. Jo said, “It’s an equal opportunity sport so any group can use it. You can bring your own instructor or you can hire the Centre’s qualified instructor.”

(View of upstaires seating area overlooking the Climbing Wall)

(Upstaires seating area overlooking the Climbing Wall)

Management

Although owned by The Five Lamps Organisation, the Youthy is run by a Management Committee of 15 young people from both Thornaby Community School and St. Patrick’s Secondary School. The Management Committee are all active and have been involved for over a year with all aspects of the Youthy including the design of the interior and activities that are going to take place, they also ensured that other young people had their voices heard. Jo said “Because the young people of Thornaby have had such an input into the building and the design of the Centre, they see it as theirs and we feel that because they’ve got ownership of that building, and it is completely dedicated to them, that they will be very respective of it, so they’ll do their best to keep it open and to keep it running.”

Funding

Funding for the Youthy came from Single Regeneration Budget Challenge Funding (SRB) Rounds Three and Five and Sport England for the climbing wall. Running costs are being met with SRB and the team are currently looking at other funding sources.

Staff

Based permanently within the building will be, Jo Da Silva, Centre Manager, a Resource Worker and Alan Lonsdale, the Youth Drug and Alcohol Worker for the Beacon Project. There will also be a Caretaker, Climbing Wall Instructors and Youth Workers at various times throughout the day, along with staff from the various projects. It is hoped more young people will become actively involved with the Centre by volunteering their services and eventually becoming paid employees of the Organisation.

Official Openings

30th August was the day the new Youthy rocked with two opening parties.

The first was the official side with an invited audience consisting of local residents, Town and Borough Councillors, the leader of Stockton Borough Council, Cllr. Bob Gibson and Dari Taylor MP.

After speeches by Sue Westerman, Interim Chief Executive of The Five Lamps Organisation, Jo Da Silva, Youthy Manager, and the young people of the Management Committee, a presentation of a cheque for £45,000 was made from Sport England, for the climbing wall.

Amongst the audience were employees of Asda, who had funded the refreshments for the event. Guests toured the £1 million magnificent new building and were given an insight into the work of the Undercover Artists Project.

Young people were given the opportunity to have a go on the climbing wall.

(Residents and a local Police Officer enjoying the buffet)

(More residents enjoying the buffet)

(Waiting for the fun to start) Then the evening was handed over to up to 200 under 16's.

(First through the doors)

TFM Radio hosted the night, with DJ Mark Powell.

(Mark Powell and Jo Da Silva)

Stargate, who are currently in the charts with 'Easier Said Than Done' sang a few numbers before signing autographs.

TFM dancers got the young people up and dancing, including some on the stage.

(TFM Dancers)

Thornaby Town Council also supported the evening event with sponsorship and Asda supplied freebies.

The young people of Thornaby had a ball on what was the first of many such nights.

(Bouncers who ensured a trouble free night)