The National Youth Agency: Myplace

Ashford North Youth Centre

Key principle: Young people's active participation - empowering young people and putting them in the lead to drive decisions about the design, use and ongoing running of places for them to go.

Young people have been involved with the new Ashford North Youth Centre, which opened in February this year, from the outset. They originally contacted the county council and secured £1m in 2005 for the rebuilding of an existing youth centre, but due to the complexities of the private finance initiative behind this the process stalled, causing an 18-month delay and costs to go up. Young people contacted councillors again and managed to get the funding increased to £1.25m. They were involved in drawing up plans and consulted about what they wanted. They visited the site during construction to make decisions and see the work in progress. Outside young people have also created their own garden and are in the process of creating a wild flower meadow with a pond. Senior members at the centre serve on the committee and are actively involved in programming and planning. They attend staff meetings, take the lead on organising the finance and itinerary for residentials and trips and organise an awards ceremony every other year.