YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE HORSHAM DISTRICT
Here you can see what we are doing to give young people in the area somewhere to go and something to do. And you can find out about the various initiatives that have been and are being developed to ensure that any young person that wants to, has the opportunity to 'have a voice' in decisions that are being made that affect them.
Younger Persons' Strategy
We have developed a youth strategy in the light of a growing local and national recognition of the importance of providing facilities and services for young people.
The Strategy, which is out for consultation until 18 September 2006, has been prepared as part of a joint Older and Younger Persons' Strategy in consultation with young people and representatives from West Sussex Youth Service. It is based on what young people have told us and what can realistically be achieved to meet their needs and aspirations.
Somewhere to go, something to do:
We know that young people often complain that there is 'nowhere to go and nothing to do'. For a full range of leisure and tourism options in the District, click on the Leisure and Tourism button at the top of the page. For more specific details, here below are some of the things that we are doing to provide facilities and services for young people:
- Our Leisure Link team works with local communities to establish a number of different Art and Leisure opportunities across the District.
- The skatepark in Horsham Park, designed in conjunction with young people was opened in summer 2001.
- Following consultation with young people, Horsham Leisure Park, the Ten Pin Bowling Centre in Horsham Park, has provided an extensive Pool and Snooker Hall.
- Pavilions in the Park, the new leisure and swimming complex in Horsham Park opened at the end of 2002.
- The Capitol (the refurbished Horsham Arts Centre) is now open and provides a varied cinema and theatre programme.
- Flip'd, Under 17s Club Nights are held on selected Friday nights from 19.30 until 22.30 in the Drill Hall, Denne Road, Horsham. The events are for 13-17 year olds and are drug, alcohol and tobacco free. For more information call the dance night information line on 01403 215122.
- Working with the West Sussex Youth Service, we have developed the 'Mobile Cafe'. An easily identifiable snack wagon (it is covered in graffiti art!) with a small sheltered seating area. Sited at various locations throughout the District in the evenings, it acts as an informal meeting place for young people and provides a base for outreach youth work. Refreshments on sale will include confectionery, tea/coffee, soft drinks and jacket potatoes.
- Multi-agency groups have been established in villages across the District to develop facilities and services for local young people. Successes include youth shelters, drop-in coffee bars, skateboarding facilities, basketball rebound areas and programmes of summer activities.
- We are already helping and continue to involve young people in the development of facilities in villages such as Rudgwick, West Chiltington, Ashington, Henfield and Steyning. If you are a young person, or you know a young person, who would like to help in developing facilities in your area, please phone (01403) 215122 or email community.development@horsham.gov.uk.
- New fully soundproofed and excellently equipped rehearsal rooms for local bands are now available for hire. The rooms are situated in the Quartermasters' store, behind the Drill Hall in Denne Road, Horsham. Phone (01403) 215263 for more details.
- The Horsham District Live Music Alliance provides gigs, performance opportunities for young bands, subsidised PA hire, sound desk training and an annual Battle of the Bands competition.
- To find out more about events that are planned visit the council's Event Calendar.
Helping young people to have their say
We recognise the importance of consulting with young people before providing facilities and services that affect them and schemes such as the skatepark in Horsham Park have been developed in response to, and in consultation with, young people.
Other initiatives allowing young people to put forward their views about issues in general include:
- Speak Out which is the annual youth conference which organised with the help of a planning group of young people and which around 80 13-18 year olds from across the District attend.
- HYPER (Horsham Youth Council) Any young person (13-18) who lives in Horsham or its surrounding villages can become a HYPER representative. Meetings are held fortnightly and are chaired by a young person. HYPER provides a mechanism for us and other organisations such as the Police to consult with young people. And it enables representatives to raise issues of concern and undertake their own initiatives. If you are interested in becoming a HYPER representative then e-mail hyper@horsham.gov.uk
For more information about what the Council is doing for young people contact: Trevor Beadle (Community Development Manager) on (01403) 215439 or email community.development@horsham.gov.uk