First Myplace-funded youth centre opens doors

The Open centre in Norwich was opened at a ceremony attended by children’s minister Dawn Primarolo.

Sessions on offer at the new centre, which was designed with input from young people and is open at weekends and after school, include climbing wall and skateboarding lessons.

The centre also features a live music venue, theatre, conference and arts facilities, a young person’s nightclub and music recording studios, and is aimed at young people aged from 13 to 25.

Russ Dacre, Open project director, described the new centre as an amazing venue for the young people of Norfolk.

So far, 62 projects have received £240m of the £272m available through the Myplace fund to build or refurbish youth facilities. Those bidding for the final £32m of funding will be announced later this year.

But the charity 4Children has warned that far more money is needed to ensure that every community has good youth facilities. It is calling on the government to speed up the release of further funding through unclaimed assets in dormant bank accounts.

Legislation to divert this money, which could total around £400m, into youth projects was passed last year but the charity fears the banking crisis could be causing unnecessary delays.

Anne Longfield, chief executive of 4Children, said: The government’s focus must now be on speeding up the release of unclaimed assets from dormant bank accounts to take these life-changing services to young people in every community.