Many of you will have already heard the great news that the County Council youth service in Ryedale, (‘Ryedale 4Youth’), is now running a youth centre in what used to be Pickering Magistrates’ Courts. We have wonderful plans for the building so that eventually we will be able to use the whole area. In the meantime young people are already enjoying the use of the centre, and finding that it is making a difference to them. The centre is offering such a great opportunity for young people in our area.

          Moving from our traditional site at Lady Lumley’s School, was perhaps a brave move, as we were always very well supported there, where we had access to a huge group of young people to work with. Now we are setting up, with the help and guidance of young people themselves, plus a team of dedicated staff, something for teenagers in the town itself. 

          The response, after being able to open part of the centre for a term, has been incredible and very welcome. Community members and neighbours have been   extremely supportive: I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Pickering community for their continued support on behalf of the Ryedale 4Youth Service and the young people it serves.

          What goes on here?  Every week close to 150, 13-19 year olds from this area, access the centre and the activities associated with it. We are now able to extend the range of activities we offer, and we work with a wide range of young people.  All young people, aged 13-19, are    welcome at this centre, whatever their background, or needs, they may require, provided we can safely cater for them.           We aim to start where young people are at, and to use an informal educational process to help them develop towards their full potential. This may start with simply giving an alternative to ‘street corner  culture’, but aims to move beyond that to becoming actively involved in the projects.

          We hope to receive a timescale for when the refurbishment works will be completed by our building contractors. Hopefully, this will be in the near future, which will then allow us to move towards the next chapter in the centre’s development. The vision is for a combination of what we already do – with a bigger presence of other agencies that work with children and young people, and their  parents. It makes sense for us to be, as much as possible, under one roof!

Dave Fincham.