West Leeds Dispatch community reporter Martin Heaton met with Councillor Peter Carlill (Lab, Calverley and Farsley) to talk about the first “youth club-type group” for more than ten years.
Cllr Carlill said that at the moment there is a “youth bus” which parks at Dawsons Corner for two hours a week, giving out drinking chocolate and trying to connect with any youths that turn up.
It also parks in Calverley for one hour a week.
Cllr Carlill, who is also the children and young people’s champion for the outer west Leeds area, spent 18 months trying to find out just what the young people wanted and what he could do to help.
He went around the streets of Farsley along with a youth worker and spoke to five or six different groups of youths to find out what they wanted / needed.
Following on from this there is now going to be an open room at Farsley Library every Thursday night starting in September, for the young people to congregate (along with youth workers) to “chill” and do what they want, within reason.
If they decide they would like any talks on specific topics, speakers will be arranged but only if the young people want it.
This will also free up the “youth bus” to expand the service to visit other areas currently without provision, such as Rodley and Bradford Road, to find other young people.
Cllr Carlill said:
“It is important that young people are aware of the meeting in the Library back room every Thursday night.
“This will give young people something else to do apart from standing around on the streets all evening and they will be able to try out activities or discuss important topics if that’s what they wish.”