Cllr Riley, Blackburn with Darwen Council

Our Youth Zone journey was driven by a group of passionate businesses in our town who approached us with the Youth Zone model and convinced us it could bring similar benefits to our young people as it had in Bolton. After hearing their pitch and discussing the potential for our community we knew this was an opportunity we couldn’t miss and moved forward to make the Youth Zone a reality for Blackburn.

As financial constraints on all local authorities have grown it has become more and more difficult to create youth provision at scale. We immediately recognised that working with an organisation like OnSide would enable us to deliver a level of universal service for young people that we couldn’t do on our own.

OnSide’s model of working in partnership with the business community and Local Authorities means they can raise money in a way we can’t. This is hugely important; getting local businesses involved in a community initiative allows them to take an interest in the everyday life of the borough. It enables them to understand the town and the issues and be part of the solution. All of this is a seal of approval for the OnSide model – it’s an idea that if it hadn’t been invented, I’m sure we would wish we had thought of it first.

When I visited Blackburn & Darwen Youth Zone when it first opened, I thought it was an impressive building with many facilities. It was refreshing to see a wealth of opportunities for young people to get involved and enjoy themselves in a safe environment. We must applaud any space where young people can access support, strength and confidence. I think of my grandson who’s growing up in London. He’s autistic and thrives in his performing arts classes.

As a Local Authority, we want to encourage and attract more young people to stay in the borough, as we benefit from their ambition, aspiration and education. Our strapline for this year is to make sure nobody is left behind, and we don’t want those to be empty words. The Youth Zone helps to connect young people with local businesses, they meet those leaders which opens them up to the opportunities on their doorstep.

The Youth Zone is the place that increasingly provides young people with an area of their own, where their opinions are considered. What’s particularly important for a town like Blackburn is that it’s a space for all young people to get involved and to bring their experiences. Having the Youth Zone right in the town centre in neutral territory works, as the membership broadly reflects the demographics of the town. All young people, including those with additional needs and disabilities, are welcomed and comfortable there; the youth workers work hard to make that happen. When you visit there’s a sense of joy that is uplifting. Since doors opened in June 2012, the Youth Zone has supported 19,528 young people with 539,790 visits.

I do worry about young people growing up in a world which doesn’t feel nearly as safe as it did when I was young. I have grandchildren now and I think, particularly with social media, young people seem to be under a lot of pressure. It doesn’t surprise me in the slightest that there’s an explosion of mental health issues because of the pressures they’re under.

To any Local Authorities thinking of bringing a Youth Zone to your community, my short answer would be to do it. For me, there’s no downside and it is certainly an obvious and successful mechanism to provide services for young people in your area. The Youth Zone can also provide a ripple effect into neighbouring towns, as we have seen with the recent development of the Youth Zone Hub in Darwen enabling even more young people to be supported.