Project trials clubs in bid to stay open
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
A South Yorkshire youth project is running after-school and breakfast clubs in a 12-week trial as it battles for survival after its Lottery funding ran out in March this year.
Ian Ball, manager of the Hickleton Youth Project in the village of Thurnscoe, told CYP Now he hoped the clubs would bring in much-needed revenue as the youth club's activities will "never be self-sustaining".
He continues to run the project, which is based in the old canteen of the now-closed Hickleton Colliery, on a voluntary basis after losing his full-time job, along with nine other part-time staff. The project has received £260,000 in Lottery grants over three years.
He said that Barnsley Council was closing smaller youth clubs and centralising activities in what he termed "super youth clubs". But it meant young people would have to rely on buses to reach these clubs.
The youth project opened in 2003 and provides a range of activities such as arts and crafts, cooking and IT. It also runs drop-in sessions and has organised a residential and canoeing trip in France.
