Salford Youth Zone has officially opened this weekend bringing life-changing opportunities to the city’s young people.
The official opening was hosted today (Saturday 5 July) the youth zone was opened bringing together donors, partners, young people, volunteers, community leaders, and families.
The event was honoured the collective efforts that have been made to make the project possible.
Developed by youth work charity Empower Youth Zones (EMPOWER), with the Salford Youth Zone is aiming to build ont he success of the HideOut Youth Zone in Gorton.
The grand opening was also used to showcase the transformative impact the SYZ is set to have, with over 2500 members already registered.
Membership for young people is free, with a 50p charge per session.
At the youth zone, the opportunities for young people are endless and include an outdoor football pitch, fully equipped gym, climbing wall, dance studio, music and recording studio, training kitchen, and art workshop.
Alongside a variety of different activities and programmes seven days a week, SYZ will give young people access to free meals, employability skills workshops, and trusted adults to talk to.
Officially on Saturday 5 July, Adam Farricker, CEO of EMPOWER, said: “The opening of Salford Youth Zone is an incredibly significant moment for our team and the city of Salford. After months of planning and collaboration, it’s incredibly rewarding to see our vision become reality.
“In a city where too many young people lack access to a safe, supportive environment, this facility will be a hub for these young people to grow and break down barriers.”
Adam continued: “Having been to youth services myself, I know first-hand how life changing they can be – I’m proud to be extending this opportunity to thousands more young people.
“Every young person deserves the chance to thrive, and Salford Youth Zone will help make that possible.”
The SYZ has been made possible by the support from unwavering commitment from the Done Family, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and Salford City Council.
And this was shared by Paul Dennett, Mayor of Salford and Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester, who said: “An investment in young people is an investment in a community’s future, and Salford Youth Zone is a fantastic addition to both the city of Salford and Greater Manchester as a whole.
“We’re extremely proud to support the team as they create a future where every young person can grow and succeed.”
The youth zone have also shared that the future of the facility has been underpinned by a unique combination of funders including local authorities, individuals, the business community and grants.
And the support offered to thousands of young people across the city, will also see an extension with hundreds of paid and voluntary roles being created from the construction phase.
This has led to over 100 people being given full, part time and voluntary opportunities to work for the charity EMPOWER – making them one of the largest employers in Greater Manchester.
And this was echoed by Councillor Teresa Pepper from Salford City Council, who added: “ We are always striving to deliver the best possible outcomes for our young people, and the Youth Zone will offer vital support – somewhere to go, something to do, and someone to talk to.
“It also provides new jobs in Salford and volunteering opportunities that will enhance the futures of our adult residents.”
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