Speaking at the National Children and Adult Services conference in Bournemouth, Fiona Blacke said that although she agreed that every Parliamentary constituency should have its own youth centre or facility, as set out in the 10-year youth strategy, creating identical centres should be avoided.
"I have reservations about a Pizza Hut model where in every constituency we get a youth centre that looks the same," she said. She added there were numerous ways facilities could be developed, including getting Starbucks to open up branches once a week for young people to hang out.
Blacke said innovative thinking was important in giving young people facilities tailored to each area and said the decision as to what to build, where and whether it will be a new facility should be a decision for local young people to make.
"What it isn't about is buildings that are the same," she said. "In some areas buildings aren't the answer as young people may not be able to travel to them, so it has to be about detached youth work as well."
Pam Griffin, chair of the Association of Principal Youth and Community Officers, agreed with Blacke's comments and said with every area having a different economic profile and demographic, it was important to make sure young people's needs were catered for.
"If Pizza Hut works everywhere then fine but let's make sure we don't go for the easy option," she said. "People need to ask what the needs of young people are where they live. Our field has no shortage of innovative thinking - it's what we're good at."
Griffin called for youth centres and facilities to be best placed to suit young people, in the way that schools are. "For me it's a case of geography, and the town centre would be fantastic. But are they going to clear a building to leave space to put in a new youth centre?" she said.
- Additional reporting by Cathy Wallace.
