Youth Service

Under plans for the future of Rotherham Council's Youth Service, new 'mobile units' will be used to bring activities and workers to each area, alongside improvements to youth centre provision and targeted intervention work to offer early support to individuals or areas to work on specific issues.

The changes have a focus on core youth centres in 13 areas around the borough, as well as the multi-million pound investment which has been brought into Rotherham through the MyPlace project.

Some centres which are currently closed or provide only a small amount of services and activities will be closed permanently, although in some areas work will continue to see if an alternative provider can be found within the community. 

Councillor Mahroof Hussain; Cabinet Member for Community Development, Equality and Young People's Issues; said: "We have taken a thorough look at our services as we know that in some areas we are not providing the type of support and activities that young people want and need.

"These changes mean that with resources getting tighter for services we can replace under-used facilities and instead offer a range of alternatives from larger centres providing a great range of activities as well as new mobile units where workers can get into the heart of communities and react to issues and needs as they arise.

"We are also continuing to work with staff, young people and community groups to see if there are alternative ways of providing services or activities in an area." 

The plans will mean that each Area Assembly in Rotherham will have at least one large Youth Centre, a mobile unit, detached youth work and an Early Intervention Team who will work closely with young people and families to try and tackle issues before they can become more serious problems.

In some areas of higher need or where there are high numbers of young people, additional centres will be provided. The review has also seen a restructuring of management to reflect the service's new focus.

In a couple of cases, facilities are being replaced by new locations. The town centre Youth Cafe is due to transfer into the new My Place building when it opens in the Autumn. In Dinnington, the existing centre will be closed and replaced with a new town centre Youth Cafe in partnership with a voluntary organisation in that area, JADE.

The Service currently has two mobile units which each cost around £65,000 and will be buying another five to provide services across the borough.

Overall, the changes will mean a £400k saving in 2011/12, with a further saving of £134k in the following year. It will also mean that 29 full-time equivalent posts will be removed from the service.

The plans will see the following centres remain open:

• Maltby Linx
• Swinton Youth Centre
• Winterhill Youth Centre
• Kiveton Youth Centre
• The Place (Clifton)
• Herringthorpe Youth Centre
• Treeton Youth Centre
• Wath Youth Centre
• Rawmarsh Youth Centre
• Maltings Youth Centre
• Dalton Youth Centre

In addition to these centres, specific services will also be delivered from:

 

Thrybergh. The Wentworth South Early Intervention Team will deliver some provision from here.

 

Thornhill Youth Centre. The Youth Service Universal team will be based here.

 

The town centre-based provision, Youth Start, will be retained.
 
MyPlace. The Youth Service is a key partner in this £3.5 million iconic development for young people. Funded by the Big Lottery fund this purpose built centre will be opened in the autumn of 2011.

 The following Centres will be closed.

• Harthill Youth Centre
• Brampton Cabins
• Aston Youth Centre
• Chislett Youth Centre
• Bramley Youth Centre
• Wingfield Youth Centre
• Kilnhurst Youth Centre (currently closed)
• Catcliffe (currently closed)
• Rotherham International Centre (centre already earmarked for closure)
• Dinnington (service to move to new centre in Dinnington)
• Rotherham Youth Café (relocating to MyPlace development)