The Fitzrovia Youth Centre set up on Huntley Street in the Gordon Mansion Estate is helping to break stereotypes related to youth culture by getting kids involved with projects in the Bloomsbury area.
In recent times the youth of today has been given a lot of bad press. Chavs, hoodies, asbo’s, gangs and even gun crime have taken up plenty of paper space but at the new youth centre set up by Youth Participation Officer Donovan Wagner, kids and teenagers are showing that with the youth of today it isn’t all doom and gloom.
Set up at the end of last year the Fitzrovia Youth Centre is attracting kids ranging from 10 year olds to 20 year olds from different ethnic backgrounds and from all walks of life. Every other week the centre offers kids and adolescents a haven where they can get off the streets, relax, interact with each others, surf the web or just play computer games. The centre also runs educational courses where members can gain credited certificates from Millennium Volunteers and take work shops on identity, conflict, resolution, drugs awareness and sexual health. Members of the group can also take FA level 1 coaching awards. A core group of five older members representing the centre get together each week to plan out activities and projects to get involved with.
Donovan Wagner the founder of the centre stated, “The centre can help the members in many ways from giving them a greater sense of direction, teaching them leadership, educating them so they can make their own informed decisions, giving them a voice and teaching them skills that can be valuable for them in getting employment. By having a wide age range within the group it gives the younger members positive role models who can inspire them to stay off the streets and become involved in the projects.”
“We get about 20 kids every other week and it is great that we have a diverse mix of cultures, religions and ages. It is a great place for the kids and youths to come rather than hanging around on streets and risking becoming involved in gangs and getting into trouble with the Police.”
The latest project being organized by the group is a football competition called the Camden Unity Cup which is run throughout the local area. The 5-a-side competition which is run from 11 venues is planned for August and is organized and planned solely by the youth group. This will be the eighth year of the cup and competitions will be run for under 10’s, 12’s, 14’s, 16’s and 18’s for boys and under 12’s, 14’s and 16’s for girls.
Football Development Officer Davis Williams explained the benefits, “The cup enables us to tackle territorial problems in the area and stop serious issues like racism and gang violence. The youth group members do all the work from the planning to the stewarding on the days. We still have places available for teams so if you are interested; get involved as they are great fun.”
Donovan Wagner says, “The response has been very positive towards the youth centre. We have been receiving support from the local neighborhood safety team, the residents association, and the police department. There are now plans to expand on this concept, for example, plans are already in motion to create a specific center for young women and also a Muslim meeting place.”
For more information on the centre or to enter a team to play in the Camden Unity Cup, call Donovan Wagner or Davis Williams on 020 7388 7399.
