Volunteers step in to save Shropshire youth groups

It was revealed today just four youth groups will continue to be run by Shropshire Council. The rest will be operated by groups that range from parish councils to guide groups and schools.

The council has decided to stop delivering youth services in a bid to save £140,000 per year. Instead it tasked local committees, made up of area town and parish councils along with other organisations, with 'commissioning' youth workers privately.

Bridgnorth - Provider: Shropshire Youth Association. Activity: Two youth club sessions a week for juniors and seniors at Bridgnorth Youth Centre plus outreach work. Launching October 26

Cleobury Mortimer - Provider: Cleobury Mortimer District Girlguiding. Activity: Purchase of tents for camping/outdoor activities.

Provider: South Shropshire Youth Forum. Activity: Cleobury Park clean-up for activity use; music and barbecue event.

Provider: St Mary's Youth Project. Activity: Activities at youth drop-in centre, The Hub.

Craven Arms - Provider: Craven Arms Area Youth Group. Activity: Enhanced youth club activity provision in Craven Arms.

Provider: Craven Arms Area Youth Group. Activity: Targeted outreach work in the vicinity of Craven Arms Community Centre.

Ellesmere - Provider: Ramped CICActivity: Run a mobile skate park with BMX bikes, skateboards and scooters, launching October 26.

Gobowen, Selattyn, St Martins & Weston Rhyn - Provider: Fusion Arts Weston Rhyn. Activity: Weekly youth club session in Weston Rhyn, starting October 1.

Provider: New Saints FC Community Foundation in partnership with Fusion Arts, Oswestry Fencing Club, and Tom the Apple Man. Activity: multi-sport activity sessions

Highley & Chelmarsh - Provider: Chelmarsh Village Hall. Activity: Summer holiday activities.

Loton, Longden, Ford & Rea Valley - Provider: Shropshire Youth Association. Activity: Weekly youth club sessions in Minsterley and Westbury, starting October 26.

Ludlow - Provider: Shropshire Youth Association and South Shropshire Youth Forum. Activity: Youth work within the town for older young people, and junior youth sessions at Ludlow Youth Centre, week beginning October 16.

Market Drayton - Provider: Shropshire Youth Association. Activity: Two youth club sessions a week for juniors and seniors at Market Drayton Youth Centre, beginning 26 October.

Much Wenlock & Broseley - Provider: Broseley Youth Partnership . Activity: To help progress a plan for youth activity, organise Young Entrepreneurs and Youth Day.

Oswestry - Provider: Fusion Arts . Activity: Provision of 'youth café' within The Centre plus outreach work.

Shrewsbury - Provider: Shrewsbury Town Council. Activity: Delivering youth activities within Shrewsbury, including ongoing delivery of junior and senior youth clubs in Monkmoor, Sundorne and Harlescott, and youth club in Meole Brace.

Strettondale - Provider: Condover Parish Youth Club. Activity: Street dance classes over summer holidays.

Provider: St Laurence's Church after school. Activity: Purchase sporting equipment for sporting activity.

Provider: Rushbury Primary School Homework Club. Activity: Homework Club.

Provider: South Shropshire Youth Forum . Activity: Delivering heritage and landscape activities.

St Oswald & Llanymynech - Provider: Llanymynech Youth Club . Activity: Canoeing, multi-activities, ice skating, pin-bowling.

Provider: TNS Get Active. Activity: Multisport activities.

Provider: Knockin District Youth Club. Activity: Water activities at Paddlesport, Queens Head.

Wem & Shawbury - Provider: Wem Youth Club and Shropshire Youth Association. Activity: Two youth club sessions a week in Wem and Shawbury, beginning October 26.

Today a full list of surviving youth groups was published by the council.

Shrewsbury Town Council will be delivering youth activities within the town, junior and senior youth clubs in Monkmoor, Sundorne and Harlescott, and the youth club in Meole Brace.

Councillor Alan Mosley, leader of Shrewsbury Town Council, said the authority was looking forward to being responsible for the services, and would be contributing more than £20,000 funding of its own.

Elsewhere, Chelmarsh Village Hall will be running summer activity groups and providers elsewhere include churches and arts groups and sport clubs.

Shropshire Youth Association, a registered charity, is working in partnership with Energize to allow a number of clubs to continue including in Bridgnorth, Ludlow and Market Drayton.

Four youth clubs catering for young people with special needs will continue to run under council control. Shropshire Council said it had a duty to provide services for the most vulnerable people in the county.

Ann Hartley, Shropshire Council's cabinet member for children's services, said: "I'm delighted that such a wide range of activities will be provided across Shropshire by a wide range of groups and organisations and I wish our new providers every success.

"Our aim was to ensure that as many young people as possible can continue to access a wide range of activities."

The shake-up of youth services follows months of consultation with interested groups.

Shropshire Council resolved to stop delivering youth services directly earlier this year in a bid to save £140,000. Instead it tasked Local Joint Committees – made up of area town and parish councils along with other organisations – to find a solution.

The organisations include Craven Arms Area Youth Group, Shropshire Youth Association, Llanymynech Youth Club and TNS Get Active. Fusion Arts, Shrewsbury Town Council and Wem Youth Club and Shropshire Youth Association.

Shrewsbury Town Council will be delivering youth activities within the town, including the ongoing delivery of junior and senior youth clubs in Monkmoor, Sundorne and Harlescott, and the youth club in Meole Brace.

Councillor Alan Mosley, leader of Shrewsbury Town Council, said the authority was looking forward to being responsible for the services, and would be contributing more than £20,000 funding of its own.

Fusion Arts Oswestry will be running sessions in Oswestry as well as in Gobowen, St Martins and Weston Rhyn.

Jay Moore, from Fusion Arts Oswestry, said: "We're hoping to start as soon as possible.

"We've just had funding granted to start in St Martins, Weston Rhyn and Gobowen and we're waiting on Oswestry funding to go through.

"We're going to be running open sessions six days a week in Oswestry at The Centre with gaming clubs, arts and crafts and music – all sorts of things. Anything the kids want we'll try to do – it's their session.

"The same sort of activities will be in the rural locations, but on one night a week.

"We're absolutely looking forward to getting started.

"We can't wait to get started. It's been the goal since we started to make a difference and I think the young sessions now are going to be the key to do that because we'll have a chance to really give the young people something they want."

Shropshire Youth Association will be running two youth club sessions a week for juniors and seniors at Market Drayton Youth Centre.

Councillor Roger Hughes, who represents Market Drayton West on Shropshire Council, said: "I am pleased we are going to get some continuity.

"One thing we got from the preliminary neighbourhood plan was about the need for more youth facilities in the town.

"Hopefully when they have decided what is happening to the building a more permanent arrangement can be put in place."

Ramped CIC will run a mobile skate park with BMX bikes, skateboards and scooters in Ellesmere.

Tom Bol, spokesman for the organisation, said: "We are absolutely thrilled to bits. We will give 110 per cent."

Four youth clubs catering for young people with special needs will continue to run under council control.

Shropshire Council said it had a duty to provide services for the most vulnerable people in the county

It has agreed to continue running Smile Clubs in Ludlow and Shrewsbury, The WHO Club in Bridgnorth and Big Time Club in Shrewsbury.

Ann Hartley, Shropshire Council's Cabinet member for children's services, said: "When Shropshire Council reviewed the way it ran activities for young people, parents and carers were asked for their views about the special needs groups that ran in Shrewsbury, Ludlow and Bridgnorth.

"These youth groups have been provided as part of the council's duty to secure services and activities for young people to improve their well-being.

"They successfully support the personal and social development of young people and help them connect with their peers and communities.

"They are also recognised and valued as a key part of the delivery of short breaks for young people."

Mrs Hartley said feedback from parents and carers during the consultation period had raised concerns for young people who were more vulnerable to change.

She said as a result the council confirmed clubs catering for those with special needs would continue to run with the same level of support.

"We also committed to continue to deliver these groups where possible through existing staff and to consider the special needs groups provision in line with short breaks in the future," she said.

"We have circulated information about these groups starting up again for the new term.

"We are seeking to consult with the service users, parents and carers about the key features and outcomes of the groups that need sustaining.

"We plan to work with them on the most effective methods of taking this forward."