The City Council's cabinet approved the plans, which aim to drive positive outcomes for young people, including improved mental and physical wellbeing, and skills for life and work. Plans have been developed in partnership with the County Council, which has statutory responsibility for children and young people’s services.
The City and County Council worked with young people to help develop the plans for the new hub. The anticipated programme of youth work activities includes opportunities such as cooking, climbing, music, technology and many others, and is expected to evolve as the programme develops.
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The project will see the crèche facilities moved to another part of the leisure centre and the under-used soft play area converted, to create space for a social area, quiet rooms, a kitchen, music and digital space and a climbing wall. Alongside the building changes, the funding provides for four youth workers and a co-ordinator for the first year, and the City Council is looking to put this staffing on a longer-term footing. The work builds on the council’s already very active Youth Ambition services in the area.
Councillor Chewe Munkonge, Cabinet Member for Leisure and Parks said: "This is a really exciting opportunity to provide more activities and youth worker support to young people in Oxford. We know that these opportunities outside school can make a big difference to wellbeing, mental health and engagement with education. A hub like this can make a huge difference to whole families, helping reduce the inequalities that exist across the city. We want to give young people the chance to build their skills and confidence and be their best selves. I’m pleased to see this plan also showing how our leisure centres can be used in new ways to benefit local communities."
