Building transformed to create £1.4m youth hub in St Helens

Part of the YMCA building on College Street, St Helens has been transformed thanks to the funding from the UK Government’s Youth Investment Fund

The space where the youth hub is in place had not been refurbished since the 1970s, with YMCA bosses saying the "building was crying out for modernisation".

Since funding was announced last August, building work has progressed rapidly to modernise, extend, and transform underused space into the new hub, which offers two main zones.

Downstairs is a space to "get active" while upstairs is a "get creative" space, plus a new youth café. 

The venue includes a youth cafe (Image: St Helens YMCA)

The creative space includes a performing-arts studio, green screen for photography, film and digital skills, and a performance space.

Getting active

YMCA leaders say getting active is all part of the ethos, so there is plenty of sports activities on offer like dance and football, and there is even a new bouldering wall.

The café, meanwhile, is a space to chill out, have a meal and a cuppa whilst playing table tennis or pool.

The venue's youth workers aim to make sure that everyone is well nourished and gets a meal if they are hungry.

There is also the chance to learn life skills through cooking workshops at the café.

The sports hall  (Image: St Helens YMCA)

Leaders hope to support young people’s individual needs, helping to improve their wellbeing and reduce the likeliness of poor mental health.

The ethos is "a place to be safe, comfortable, happy and be yourself".

YMCA St Helens bosses add that the newly extended youth hub has "virtually doubled the space and means it can support an additional 175 young people every week".

It is primarily for 11 to 18 year olds, but there will be some services for those in the 18 to 25 age range.

Prior to its official opening this week, local young people have already joined “taster activities” to get a feel for the new space. 

On Wednesday the venue held a celebration event on July 10, 2024, aimed at showcasing the new facilities.

The venue boasts a climbing wall (Image: St Helens YMCA)

'I felt like an impossible dream'

The Youth Investment Fund grant of £1,472, 851.00 came through the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and is delivered by Social Investment Business in partnership with Key Fund, Resonance, and the National Youth Agency.

Reflecting on applying for the funding and delivering the youth hub, Matthew Moreton, director of development at St Helens YMCA, said: “It’s been a rollercoaster journey! What started as a small idea, that no one believed would happen, blossomed into something more ambitious.

"It felt like an impossible dream! When we secured our Youth Investment Fund grant, we couldn’t quite believe it.

“Of course, there have been a few challenges along the way, but we’ve remained focused on delivering something amazing for young people.

"We’ve been waiting for a long time to deliver our dream youth hub.

The opening of the youth cafe (Image: St Helens YMCA)

"The satisfaction of seeing young people come to the space and say WOW has put a smile on everyone’s face.

Thanks to the Youth Investment Fund, young people have a safe, friendly, and exciting space to call their own. “

Before receiving the funding, the space that is now the youth hub had not been refurbished since the 1970s. The building was crying out for modernisation. It is now transformed into an accessible and sustainable youth space that young people can identify with.

The entrance on College Street (Image: St Helens YMCA)

The building offers two main zones. Downstairs is a space to ‘Get Active’ while upstairs is a ‘Get Creative’ space, plus a new Youth Café.

The Youth Hub will also enable young people to access “Y Mentoring”, where they will be paired up with a trained adult volunteer from the local community and receive up to 12 months of 1 to 1 mentoring support.

“The Listening Service” will extend its 1 to 1 support for young people wanting support to improve their mental health – with a combination of short 30 minute “drop in chats”, and the more formal 12 weeks of 1to1 listening support – aiming to reduce the need to get more intensive support in the future.

The new youth hub was designed in partnership with young people who have been supported by The Listening Service (part of YMCA St Helens).

Inside the multi-sensory room (Image: St Helens YMCA)

The venue's leaders say that "more than anything young people said they wanted the space to be safe, a place where they could be comfortable and happy, and a place to be themselves". 

For more information people can email youthwork@ymcasthelens.org.uk and visit www.ymcasthelens.org.uk