A £6.2m grant has been awarded to create a purpose-built youth centre in Salford.
The funding, granted by the youth Investment Fund, aims to support the proposed Empower Youth Zones Salford branch.
The youth zone, supported by charity, HideOut Youth Zone, and national charity, OnSide, plans to be a state-of-the-art centre with a four-court indoor sports hall, climbing wall, boxing and Mixed Martial Arts facilities and a performance space.
The funding secures the project’s building costs, with annual running costs coming from private sector and fundraising.
Subject to plans being approved, the Youth Zone is expected to open in early 2025 and will be located adjacent to Belverdere Rd and Broadwalk in Pendleton.
Salford Youth Zone will be open seven days a week, with 20 activities on offer each night.
Young people will also be able to access support from dedicated youth workers – all for just 50p per visit and £5 annual membership.
Salford City Mayor, Paul Dennett said: “This extra funding will help deliver Salford’s Youth Zone, which will offer a range of services, experiences, activities, and opportunities for socialising and having fun seven days a week.
“It’s so important we help young people achieve their potential – they are our future and they will work with us to shape this exciting new development.
Empower Youth Zones awarded £6.2million Youth Investment Fund grant to build a new centre in Salford.
This is great news, securing the building costs, adding to the investment in the Youth Zone from Salford-born Fred Done & @salfordcouncil https://t.co/FwpLRGmMqe@HideOut_YZ pic.twitter.com/t7kJ8BuIuv
— SalfordMayor (@salford_mayor) March 27, 2023
“The youth zone will be a positive addition to other youth facilities and services in Salford and will also bring jobs and volunteering opportunities.”
The Salford site is one of 43 youth services in England to benefit from the first wave of Youth Investment Fund grants, announced by the funder, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the charity Social Investment Business.
Adam Farricker, CEO of Empower Youth Zone said: “We are grateful to have received the full grant from the Youth Investment Fund in this first round.
“With the cost-of-living impacting planning and production of Salford Youth Zone by increasing price of labour and materials in the initial build, having these costs secured through the Youth Investment Fund means we can begin to focus on kickstarting major work to fund annual running costs.
“We’d like to thank the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and Social Investment Business for accepting our application. This is a great start to the Salford Youth Zone story.”
Once opened, Salford Youth Zone will be part of the OnSide Network of 14 youth zones nationwide, which support more than 50,000 young people.
Empower Youth Zones is waiting for plans to be approved for the new Youth in Salford Zone and if successful, work is due to start on site in August 2023.
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