World class youth facilities for Hackney

Meg has welcomed the announcement of extra funding for youth facilities in Hackney.

Hackney council has secured £5m of Government funding from the myplace programme towards a £8.3m project which will include two new buildings and three refurbishments to provide world-class youth facilities aimed at young people aged 11 to 19 years.

The project will offer sport, music, art, fashion, photography, media, dance, youth club and informal drop in activities. Support services will also be in place to provide guidance and information on life skills, sexual health, education, training and careers advice.

Meg said, "Whenever I speak to young people they tell me they want interesting activities to do in a safe place. This boost from the Government is very welcome and will help our young people feel safer."

Hackney's Youth Hubbz is one of 41 successful projects nationally. The projects have been selected by young people who have played a central role in awarding the funding. The new youth facilities aim to provide a safe place for young people to go and crucially will be open at times that suit them, especially Friday and Saturday night.

Children and young people's minister Beverley Hughes announced the successful projects at Hoxton Hall in Hackney (part of the Hackney Youth Hubbz).

The myplace programme is a ten year strategy for improving youth facilities.

The programme is being administered on behalf of the Department for Children, Schools and Families by the Big Lottery Fund.

More information on myplace is available at www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/prog_myplace.htm