When the physical doors of Wigan Youth Zone opened for the first time almost ten years ago, the focus was, rightly, on the wonderful facilities that were available for the young people of the borough – all accessible for just 50p. The fanfare and excitement were palpable, and thousands lined the streets – it was a day that those in attendance will never forget.But what was born that day was much more than just a building – it was a vibrant, thriving youth charity with a vision to inspire and empower the next generation to reach their full potential.
Since the charity’s inception, Wigan Youth Zone has had a consistently active outreach programme, which has been instrumental in promoting community engagement and opportunities for personal growth to over 18,000 young people away from Wigan Central. Services for young people have been delivered from various sites across the Borough, including businesses, community centres, churches, streets, parks, estates, colleges, schools and community events. In addition, Wigan Youth Zone has laid on free transportation for young people to reduce barriers to engagement.
The charity’s dedicated Outreach Team have engaged young people from various diverse areas to participate and positively engage in a wide range of activities. In the last 10 years, Wigan Youth Zone’s Outreach Bus has travelled over 43,000 miles to thousands of young people, and it has provided services to young people over 12,000 times.
Alumni Senior Member said “I remember when we first met you (Mike – Outreach Coordinator) and someone else on the park. It was a bit weird, but you were nice and funny, and when we’d seen you a few times, you told us about the buses to Wigan. We weren’t sure at first but because we knew who you were, we tried it, and we went every week for years. I’ve done so many things that I never would have thought; loads of trips and events and I even got to go to Sweden. I’m 23 now but I still remember my Youth Zone days really well. It’s a really good place and the staff were always top.”
Wigan Youth Zone is not alone in providing meaningful opportunities for young people and therefore has always worked in partnership with a variety of community organisations to make sure that the collective resources available are being utilised most effectively. At present, the Youth Zone is working with Leigh Youth Hub, Leigh Sports Village, Leigh Businesses, Wigan Council and Greater Manchester Police, to name a few, to provide meaningful opportunities for young people.
The latest venture is to support the expansion of the services run from Leigh Youth Hub, which are currently up and running. Together, Wigan Youth Zone and Leigh Youth Hub provide comprehensive support to address the unique needs of the young people in the area.
“We have an excellent track-record for our partnership working, which we are deeply proud of. We are hugely passionate about the borough we serve and everything we do is aimed at making a positive contribution to our wonderful community.”
“Our commitment to ensuring that the next generation is inspired and empowered to reach their own potential is unwavering, and we know that young people who access our charity’s services for a sustained period will experience a whole host of positive outcomes such as increased confidence, reduced isolation, increased health and happiness and an increased likelihood of positively contributing to the community,” said Wigan Youth Zone CEO, Anthony Ashworth-Steen.
In addition to its outreach programme and community involvement, Wigan Youth Zone also offers a successful Pathway to Employment (P2E) for young people, funded by DWP and Wigan Council. Its employability provision based at Leigh Youth Hub has helped over 30 young people, who were on benefits, to find work and gain the skills and experience they need to succeed in the workplace. Since the P2E launch in September, the employability programme has supported 98 young people out of which, 67 young people have moved on to positive destinations. This highlights Wigan Youth Zones commitment to empowering and transforming the lives of young people in the borough by providing them with tangible pathways towards a brighter future. Alongside employment opportunities, young people to undergo accredited qualifications, such as Money Management, Level 1 Construction, Level 2 Food Hygiene, Forklifting, and Tattoo Artist training.
Pathway 2 Employability Coordinator, Amy Stark said “By equipping young people with the skills, knowledge, and opportunities they need to succeed in the workforce, we are not only shaping their individual futures but also creating a stronger, more prosperous community overall. When we prioritise their employability, we are investing in a brighter tomorrow for all of us.”
For 10 months, Wigan Youth Zone is encouraging the local community to participate in a life-changing 10ForTheNextGen campaign. For more information on how you can support young people in your community, go to https://www.wiganyouthzone.org/ten-for-the-next-gen/ or, alternatively, email Lynsey Heyes at lynsey.heyes@wiganyouthzone.org.
