Chard youth services could be saved as town council steps in
It's after it's facing financial difficulties.
Chard’s youth services are one step closer to being saved following positive steps by the town council.
Trustees of the Chard Area Youth Committee (TCAYC) announced in May that they would be “forced” to close the charity and its young people’s centre on Essex Close at the end of July, citing “financial constraints”.
Since this bombshell, Chard Town Council has been working with the charity and numerous groups in the town to ensure some form of youth provision can continue through the summer and beyond.
At an extraordinary full council held on Friday (July 18), the council unanimously backed proposals which will see its officers take a more active role in running the youth centre building and providing youth services in Chard and beyond.
Following the initial announcement in May, the council formed the youth provision steering group (comprising interested agencies, organisations and volunteers) and has spent two months talking to young people, providers, groups, schools, churches and other members of the community to “gain a good understanding of what youth services may be available or needed”.
A meeting was held on July 4 with representatives from Crewkerne and Ilminster to discuss a “collaborative approach” to deliver youth work in all three towns in the longer term.
In the immediate future, the town council intends to take a short-term lease of the youth centre building, with youth services being operated from this location by a newly-created community interest company (CIC).
Wider uses of the building (which has been used as a youth centre since 1949) will also be explored.
Town clerk and chief executive David Bell said: “This project is for not only our young people now, but also the heart of our community where support is needed in years to come for future generations of young people.”
A survey on the building is currently being carried out, with the town council expected to sign a short-term lease with Somerset Council if no alarm bells are raised, with the town council paying a “peppercorn rent” (i.e. a small, nominal amount) and insurance costs.
A new ‘youth provision group’ will be set up for the day-to-day running of the facility, including operating the youth centre and liaising with other group that may wish to hire out the premises.
The town council will cover the day-to-day running costs and minor maintenance of the building from its “devolution fund”, with the existing youth provision budget being rolled into this new provision.
Councillor Jason Baker, chairman of the steering group, said: “It is a privilege to spend time talking to so many people who share the same goal as the town council, which is to provide the youth of Chard with the best and most inclusive services that we can.
“I believe that every young person should have the opportunity to thrive and have support available when needed.”
Mr Baker has held several “very positive meetings” with Holyrood Academy over how the youth centre could complement the school’s ongoing ‘cradle to career’ project, which secured three years of grant funding.
To this end, the school has agreed to fund a youth work co-ordinator to “help run and shape a future youth service” in the town.
The town council is currently looking for people interested in becoming a trustee, director or volunteer within the new youth services ahead of the changes taking effect before the end of August.