Last week, the Isle of Wight Youth Trust collected keys to a shop unit, next to Youth Trust House in Pyle Street, Newport. The space will become a hub for young people, offering a range of services to support the wellbeing of young Islanders.
Youth Trust CEO, Clare Cannock said that the project will complement work already carried out by the Youth Trust to support young Islanders’ Mental Health and emotional wellbeing. She said,
“We are delighted to be working towards this exciting, new project, to support the mental health needs of young Islanders.
“Our services are under ever increasing demand and referrals for January were more than double the previous year, so we have to innovate and think about how we can best support young people beyond our counselling services, which are such an important part of our work.”
Came from young people on Mental Health Taskforce
Explaining where the idea for the hub came from, Clare added,
“This idea for this project came from the young people on our Mental Health Taskforce who have said that are not enough safe spaces for young people on the Isle of Wight, despite some pockets of excellence.
“Our Taskforce have been into the shop unit and provided ideas for how they would like the space to look and feel and the types of services they would like to see delivered.
“These have included creative workshops, more group work such as our Headstrong aspirations programme, and a sensory room. Over the coming months, we will be inviting other groups of young people into the space to provide their feedback to ensure that we are meeting the needs of our community.”
She further added,
“Going forward we envisage that this space will be used, not only by the Youth Trust, but also by our partners in the community to provide holistic wellbeing support. So far, the project has been well received and we hope to have the whole Island community behind us in making our young people’s vision a reality.
“We would like to thank Newport and Carisbrooke Community Council who have been exceptional in their support and have committed some initial funding for this project for both this year and the next, which means that we are moving closer to opening this space than we would be otherwise.”
Jones-Evans: “I know first-hand how vital their work is”
Cllr Julie Jones-Evans, Chair of Newport and Carisbrooke Community Council said that the funding came as part of a phased project to provide more spaces for young people. She said,
“To have such an experienced organisation as the Youth Trust located in the centre of Newport is a fantastic resource for all of the Island’s young people. Having been a client myself of the Youth Trust 30 years ago, I know first-hand how vital their work is.
“Newport and Carisbrooke Community Council is very pleased to be able to support this project with a financial contribution totalling £17,000 for the Youth Trust to provide a safe space for our young people.
“The fact that the space is being co-designed by young people is brilliant, they have come up with some great ideas, that I would never had dreamed of.”
Anyone looking wishing to donate to this project can contact the Youth Trust [email protected] or 01983 529 569.
