New youth centre planned in Swindon
Swindon Borough Council's Lead for Children's Social Care hope it'll support 100 people per week.
A new youth centre supporting young people in some of the most deprived areas of Swindon could be approved by councillors.
A report to Swindon Borough Council's cabinet will recommend it approves £3.6m of funds to convert the disused Lyndhurst Centre in Park North into an open access youth centre.
The conversion itself would cost £3.2m, with another £400,000 required for running costs in its first year.
Councillors hope to support over 100 children per week, and provide activities that will take them away from serious violence, including knife crime.
Interventions will be particularly targeted in areas including Gorse Hill and Pinehurst, Liden, Eldene and Park South, Penhill and Upper Stratton, and Walcot and Park North.
Swindon Borough Council's Cabinet Member for Children's Social Care, Councillor Paul Dixon, says “the centre will provide open access youth services for all children in Swindon and will offer interventions that support identity development, as well as deterring young people from outside negative influences. These will include music; cooking; health and beauty; health and fitness and informal education."
“It is so important that we provide youth services for our children and young people so we steer them away from potential criminal activity and, in particular, knife crime."
Cllr Dixon added the centre will provide services for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, making it "inclusive to all."
If the centre is approved by the Council's cabinet, it will refurbished over the next year, and should reopen in 2025.