Landmark Youth Project Celebrating Success

A unique project, built around the needs of local young people in Wythenshawe, is celebrating its success with an awards evening.

The Saturday Night Youth Provision project is managed by Manchester City Council Leisure Services and funded by the Drugs and Alcohol Strategy Team (DAST) with key partners; Youth Contact Team and Serco. The aim is to raise awareness of alcohol abuse and the dangers of associated and binge drinking by young people in and around Wythenshawe, with a number of underpinning objectives of providing positive activities for you people who may be at risk of engaging in antisocial behaviour, youth nuisance and low level crime, where alcohol could be a contributory factor.

The project has proved extremely popular, responding to the needs of local young people with attendances regularly exceeding 140 and an amazing 816 individuals registered over the 18 months it has been running.

The project offers a number of leisure activities such as football, gym, swimming, boxercise, filmmaking, dance and DJ-ing.

A number of young people involved also expressed an interest in gaining Accreditation Qualification Alliance certificates in swimming, football and weight lifting and thanks to the hard work and dedication of all involved, 114 course members have gained this nationally recognised accreditation.

DAST Funding is coming to an end and the partners involved will be working hard and are confident of securing alternative funding to ensure this valuable work continues.

Councillor Michael Amesbury, Assistant Executive Member for Arts & Leisure said: "This is just one of a number of alternative lifestyle programmes operating across the city and the achievements of the young people involved are a credit to both themselves and the staff who have delivered the project.

"It is important that we are able to continue working at this grass routes level in order to make a difference to improve available opportunities and ultimately the futures of many young people."

Media contact:

Claire Keegan, tel: 0161 234 4014