New state-of-the-art facilities for The Hunslet Club to run activities for young people in South Leeds have moved a step closer with the awarding of a grant for feasibility work on the project.
Leeds City Council has awarded the national youth charity OnSide £150,000 to carry out feasibility studies for the provision of a Youth Zone facility in South Leeds.
OnSide’s funding model is to work with a local provider, in this case The Hunslet Club and the local authority and use their commitment to bring in donations from ‘high net worth’ individuals.
A spokesperson for Leeds City Council said:
“We want Leeds to be the best possible place for children and young people to call home, and our feasibility work on this project with OnSide and the Hunslet Club reflects that ambition.
“OnSide’s Youth Zone model has, in other parts of the country, proved a successful way of attracting significant private sector investment that supports – in tandem with local authorities – the provision of high-quality youth facilities in communities where they have the maximum impact.
“This grant from the council will part-fund work to assess the viability of the proposed Hunslet-based scheme.
“It would be premature, therefore, to comment on possible locations for the Youth Zone or potential effect on existing facilities.
“There is no current financial commitment to the project from the council beyond the initial £150,000 grant, with a decision on any further backing due to be made once the feasibility work has been completed.
“Should the plans come to fruition, the result would be a world-class centre that would enrich the lives of young people, not just in south Leeds but across the entire city.”
Dennis Robbins, Chief Executive at The Hunslet Club said:
“We have been working with LCC and OnSide for several years discussing our collective ambition to bring a world class youth facility to Leeds. We are delighted that we are now formally exploring the possibility of that happening.”
An OnSide spokesperson added:
“We are really excited to be working with Hunslet Club and Leeds City Council to explore options for a Youth Zone in the city.
“Youth Zones are incredible spaces filled with a wide range of amazing facilities and trained youth workers who believe in young people. It would be brilliant to bring one to Leeds for the young people of the city”
Cllr Mohammed Iqbal and Cllr Paul Wray (Labour, Hunslet & Riverside) said:
“Although we can’t go into details of the proposal in full at this stage, this funding will allow feasibility work to commence on plans being put forward by the Hunslet Club and OnSide.
“Should the feasibility work be productive, the result would be an amazing centre for young people in the heart of Hunslet – providing a world class youth provision for not just South Leeds, but the whole city.
“We look forward to work progressing and seeing the club’s vision made a reality.”
Cllr Ed Carlisle (Green, Hunslet & Riverside) commented:
“The Hunslet Club has a long proud record in our community, and are a unique local institution. However, they’re not resting on their laurels, but instead forever innovating and forging ahead with new projects.
“It’s great to be working with them, and to be supporting this proposal to create a new local state-of-the-art youth hub. It will doubtless have a big impact for our community and city.”
Due to the public/private funding arrangement being unusual for LCC, funding for the feasibility works has been taken from the Council’s Innovation Fund and is not a call on general funding.
Photo: A Youth Zone facility developed by OnSide
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I have known this club since it was called Hunslet boys club when I was sixteen and I am 57 now it was a good club then.I did a Youth opportunity scheme from there which did landscape gardening and other YTS COURSES to help them get them into employment which it helped lot through my life.I called a few months ago with my 3 grandchildren and I just couldn’t believe how Impressed I was with the how the different facilities have available for the youth of Leeds it is very good and with the help of individuals it will be a centre of excellence Leeds and a proud place for the youth to have a place to achieve there goals and have fun/stability and a centre which improves the the wellbeing and health/mental health of all the people who go to this centre and a big thanks to all the staff and the people who work there to help youth in our society have something to focus on instead of hanging about the streets which can lead to all different problems in our society.I praise all the young/the teenagers and the different people who support this club I know it as helped me get through life’s hurdles and have fond memories of this place to this day.