The National Youth Agency: My Place

BEACON YOUNG PEOPLE'S RESOURCE CENTRE, SALFORD

Key principle: Partnership - supporting genuine cross-sector partnership working between the local authority, the third and private sectors and other public sector partners in developing and delivering the project.

The Beacon is a young people's resource centre and its state-of-the-art building offers modern facilities, including internet access, music and chill zones, a fitness suite, coffee bar, its own music studio and an industry standard kitchen. A number of projects and organisations are based at the centre and work with young people onsite. These include YouthBank, SMART Drugs and Alcohol Project, 24/7 Housing Project and the Mums 2Be Project. In addition, the centre works with a range of partners, including New Deal for Communities, Albion High School, Teenage Pregnancy Team, NDC Youth Participation Group, the Children and Young People's Partnership Board and local health projects, offering smoking cessation and sexual health sessions. A six-week pilot project with police community support officers, which looks at rights and responsibilities, is currently running on Saturdays. The building is open to all young people and offers a programme of activities six days a week. The project has a young person's committee and a shadow cabinet is planned for this autumn.