I was really pleased to read that The Spa Youth Zone has been given permission to become a permanent fixture in our High Street. This is great news for our teenagers!
As a teenager, I had access to a youth club and would be there most Fridays. It was run by someone not much older than we were, but we still respected him and did as we were told. It was a chance for us to get together outside of school and just do "nothing". Sometimes there would be a free film, sometimes we would organise activities outside on the athletics track, but mostly we just got to interact with one another.
It was a chance to blow off steam and talk to peers in an informal setting. Kids, especially teenagers, need this sort of outlet but often, funding doesn't allow for it to be provided. So teenagers make their own meeting points - council carparks, the local park - and then with no one to keep an eye on them, sometimes a situation can get out of hand. This is then picked up by the news and highlighted that teenagers today are nothing but trouble.
The Spa Youth Zone is run by Rob Mace and if you would like to know more about the facilities on offer, Rob can be contacted on 01905 775233.
Read more about it on Wychavon's website http://wychavon.whub.org.uk/cms/communications/news/2010/january/youth-zone-gets-green-light.aspx
