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Youth Investment Fund for Frome Youth and Community Centre
4 August 2023
The Frome Youth Community Centre has been awarded youth investment funding that will bring a substantial renovation to the centre and provide an increase of staffing to offer more activities to young people in Frome.
The funding was awarded following a rigorous application process that demonstrated the potential impact of the renovation on the local community. The YMCA Brunel Group team worked with young people and community members to identify the most pressing needs and develop a comprehensive plan for the renovation.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport and Social Investment Business have announced that our service is one of 44 youth projects across England that have been awarded a Youth Investment Fund grant to transform and level up opportunities for young people in England.
The funding will bring a much-needed upgrade to the centre, providing modern facilities and equipment to cater to the needs of young people. Among the new amenities there will be:
IT Suite:
Young People can often feel disenfranchised and have low aspirations worrying about future job prospects. There is a growing need for everyone to gain the digital skills and equipment to participate in an increasingly digital society. Our Young People have developed strong survival entrepreneurship, but may be lacking in other educational skills compared to peers and they have learned to be resourceful and creative through having to cope with hardship and often dealing with a chaotic homelife. The IT Suite will provide a safe space to work with young people to help them identify the skills they have; affirming them and helping them to combine and channel these skills to increase their opportunities and career choices.
New fit for purpose Kitchen:
With a newly renovated kitchen, we hope to teach valuable life skills through hands-on culinary programs. Knowledge of kitchen safety and general culinary skills can improve a young person’s confidence, independence, mental health and more. Many of our young people come from backgrounds where nutrition is a low priority. We hope to encourage our young people to improve their skills and create a path to future wellbeing for themselves and their family members.
Sports Hall Development:
By expanding and improving the Sports Hall fire exits to increase the capacity beyond 70 people, we will be able to host larger groups and events as well as allow for more inclusivity with disabled access. This would improve our offer to Young People with affordable opportunities for those in hardship, enabling them to connect with others and building lasting friendships. Our sports hall is an affordable venue for hire in the community; this development will help further support the sustainable funding model by increasing income generated by room and facilities hire which would feed back into the upkeep of the building and out youth work programs.
Additional Staffing:
Increased staff numbers will enable the centre to offer more activities and support to young people. This includes expanding the number of sessions and workshops on offer, as well as providing more one-to-one support for those who need it. The staff members will bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the centre, ensuring that young people receive the best possible support.
We also hope to improve the sustainability of our building by creating a more energy efficient heating system. This will also provide better warm spaces for our young people in the winter times. We are working with young people to redecorate the space and truly make it theirs.
This investment in the Frome Youth Community Centre is a significant milestone for the community, providing young people with the resources and support they need to thrive. It will offer a safe and welcoming space where young people can access support, build skills, and develop meaningful relationships with their peers and mentors.
Overall, this funding represents a significant win for the Frome community, demonstrating the value of investing in young people and providing them with the resources and support they need to succeed.
What is the Youth Investment Fund?
The Youth Investment Fund forms part of the Government’s ‘National Youth Guarantee’ to ensure every young person right across England will have access to regular out of school activities, adventures away from home and opportunities to volunteer backed by an investment of over £500 million investment. These opportunities will help them develop the skills they need for life and work, improving their wellbeing and employability.
As part of the National Youth Guarantee, The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has developed the Youth Investment Fund, delivered by Social Investment Business, investing over £300 million to transform and level up the out-of-school youth sector across England in priority areas. The Youth Investment Fund will enable up to 300 youth facilities to be built or renovated over the next three years and will benefit young people aged 11 to 18 (up to 25 for young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities).
With 45 local authorities and around 600 district wards in some of the less advantaged areas of England eligible to apply, the Youth Investment Fund aims to increase the number of regular positive activities undertaken by young people in the targeted areas by 45,000 per year, by 2026/27. It will give young people new opportunities to socialise and participate in a wide range of activities, supporting their wellbeing and development into employment. It is a welcome opportunity to prioritise the needs of young people, and the communities where they live, and for youth services to develop and deliver the life-changing services they need and to create a more equal society for future generations.
The YIF aims to:
- Improve the health and wellbeing of young people.
- Equip young people with skills for work and life.
- Empower young people to be active members of their community and society.
- Level up provision in selected eligible areas of England.
Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said:
“I want every young person to have the opportunity to access the kinds of life-changing activities which expand their horizons and allow them to develop vital life skills.” “These next 44 youth centres will give 12,000 more young people the opportunity to access these activities, building on the first tranche of Youth Investment Fund investment that is seeing new projects like the Alt Valley Communiversity opening in Liverpool.” “We will make sure every young person has someone to talk to, something to do, somewhere to go.”