The National Youth Agency: My Place

In this series we look at a range of generic and specialist youth facilities to encourage ambition and vision in support of Myplace bids, linking each to one of the programme's 10 key principles.

St John's Youth Centre, Worcester, Worcestershire Youth Support Service

Key principle: Co-financing - encouraging capital co-financing and ongoing revenue co-financing as an indicator of the depth of genuine partnership and the project's long-term viability.

Supermarket chains have been exploring opening a new store in the St John's area of Worcester for some years, linking into local regeneration initiatives. In 2007 Sainsbury's bought the land containing an existing youth centre from the city council and, as part of 'planning gain' negotiations, agreed to provide a new youth centre and sports centre and improve other facilities on site. The site was cleared in October last year, although the existing youth centre remained open, and the new centre has just opened. The build has been managed by Sainsbury's, whose architects worked with the county council's architects and property services. They in turn supported young people over their ideas and designs. The relationship with Sainsbury's worked well. Although it kept tight control on the budget it was receptive to young people's ideas, with the result that the new centre will offer almost everything they wanted. The centre cost £600,000 to build including furnishing and equipment costs, which was met by Sainsbury's. It will be managed as part of Worcestershire's Youth Support Service.