Government funds put youth club in hands of residents

Area:

South East England

Programme:

Community Assets

Release date:

23 3 2009

A new life for a youth centre in Worthing is planned thanks to an Office of the Third Sector in the Cabinet Office grant of over £325,000 awarded to Worthing Borough Council.

Worthing Borough Council, working with Sussex Clubs for Young People will refurbish and develop the dilapidated Maybridge Keystone Youth Club, located in the heart of the Maybridge Estate, Worthing.  This estate and the surrounding area have many single-parent and low-income households and suffer from anti social behaviour issues.

The Maybridge Future-Proof redevelopment project has received the grant from the Community Assets programme funded by the Office of the Third Sector in the Cabinet Office, delivered by Big Fund, the non-Lottery funding operation of the Big Lottery Fund.

Kevin Brennan MP, Minister for the Third Sector, said, “The Government is investing £30 million across the country into excellent community projects such as the Maybridge Future-Proof Project. Facilities such as these are much needed by voluntary and community groups, particularly during these challenging economic times when people are increasingly calling on community support.”

The refurbished building will provide a home for many local groups including the Maybridge Keystone Youth Club, Goring Scouts, St John Ambulance and a new childcare facility.

John Rogers, Worthing Cabinet Member for Health, Safety and Wellbeing, said: "We are delighted to have been awarded this money from the Government.  It means a lot to Worthing's Maybridge community. The money will be spent on refurbishing the original 1950s clubhouse which is long overdue for an overhaul."

Trevor England, Chairman of the Maybridge Keystone Club, said: “Our club's premises will be transformed into a great new youth and community facility.  With a new sports and multi-use hall supported by Worthing Borough Council, we will be able to offer a purpose-built, safe environment for many organisations, encompassing all age groups. This facility will not only enable existing users to expand and evolve, it will also allow new services to be offered. By working in partnership with Worthing Borough Council and agencies we have successfully planned a building that can serve our community for many years to come."

BIG’s South East Head of Region, Alison Rowe, said: “This project will make a real difference to the lives of families and young people in the area. Providing quality spaces for local people to come together, learn, and enjoy activities is vital to ensure that the most isolated and disadvantaged get the support they need, right at the heart of the community.”

Further Information

Big Fund Press Office: 020 7211 1888
Out of hours contact: 07867 500 572
Public Enquiries Line: 08454 102030
Textphone: 0845 6021 659

Full details of the Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available on the website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk

Notes to Editors

• Community Assets is a non-Lottery programme funded by the Office of the Third Sector in the Cabinet Office.
• The Big Fund is the non-Lottery funding operation of the Big Lottery Fund.
• The Big Lottery Fund (BIG) distributes lottery funding to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK. It also uses its expertise in grant-giving to distribute non-Lottery funding. BIG has been appointed to distributed around £30 million of Government funding through Community Assets
• The aim of Community Assets is community empowerment. It will do this by facilitating the transfer of genuine assets from local authorities to the third sector for the benefit of the community.  Community Assets will bring about the following outcomes:

1. Local third sector organisations have greater security and independence, and are better able to meet the needs of the communities they serve.
2. Communities have more access to better facilities that respond to their needs.
3. There is more effective partnership working between local authorities and the third sector.

• The range of activities to be offered by the recipients of Community Assets in principle grants includes:

1. Holiday play facilities and activities for parents and pre-school children
2. Facilities for young people providing alternative education services, evening coffee bar, leisure facilities, professional advice and guidance, anti-gun and knife crime events
3. GP referrals, healthy eating service, facilities offering keep fit classes, group wellbeing activities, a wheelchair service, therapy and rehabilitation services
4. Adult education, training courses, addiction assistance, ICT facilities and employment opportunities in deprived areas
5. Lunch clubs and tea dances for the elderly
6. Theatre events, rehearsal space, music facilities, venues for music events, creative arts groups and experimental art exhibitions
7. Meeting rooms, office services and facilities for smaller local groups including BME communities
8. Workshops, training rooms and support to local business start-ups
9. New tourism and leisure destinations

• The Office of the Third Sector was formed (OTS) in May 2006 in recognition of the increasingly important role the third sector plays in both society and the economy. It aims to drive forward the Government's role in supporting a thriving third sector, and join up sector-related work across government: http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector.
• From 30 March to 23 June 2007 the Office of the Third Sector ran a public consultation on how Community Assets will work.  A wide range of local authorities and third sector organisations responded to the consultation. The Office of the Third Sector summarised the responses and explained how they will influence the final programme on 10 August 2007.
• The Community Assets fund was first proposed last year in the Pre-Budget Report (6 December 2006).
• http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/makingassetswork

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