A new youth club in Aberavon opened its doors for the first time in recently.
Plans were unveiled last November to create new youth facilities for the Sandfields East and Aberavon Renewal Area after residents voted for the club as their priority for the community.
The renewal area celebrated its fifth anniversary last August and to mark the milestone, residents were asked to vote for the project they believed the community needed most.
The choice was between a youth club and a dedicated waste enforcement officer. The majority of votes cast were for the youth club.
New Sandfields Aberavon was successful in receiving finding from the Welsh Assembly Government’s Community Cohesion Fund to pay for the start up and the running costs of the club for the first year. South Wales Police also made a contribution and paid for some equipment for the club.
It will be run by a partnership consisting of The Renewal Area, Communities First, New Sandfields Aberavon, the Youth Service and Keep Wales Tidy.
The club will be held at St. Mary’s Hall close to the bus station and will run every Tuesday and Thursday between 7pm & 9pm.
Tuesdays will be for 14-25 year olds and Thursdays for 11-13 year olds.
Lots of activities are being planned – pool, table tennis, X box, Wii, music, board games, DVDs and there will be laptops available for the young people to use.
There are also plans for a tuck shop for the club.
Council Leader, Ali Thomas, said: “Youth clubs provide a safe environment where young people can socialise, make new friends and enjoy activities. They also help to reduce anti social behaviour in the community by encouraging young people to do something positive in their spare time, rather than spending it on the streets.”
“With this in mind, I am sure that the whole community will benefit from this project.”
Christine Esposito, New Sandfields Aberavon Communities First said: “This is a fantastic example of young people having their say in what’s put on in their community. They have been part of the project from the planning stage and their ideas have been listened to right through to opening the doors.
“They will also be fully involved in the running of the youth club and making sure that it’s still there long into the future. It is also a brilliant opportunity for partnership work with the relevant agencies. Well done to everyone involved.”
Inspector Karl Eenmaa, Port Talbot Neighbourhood Policing Team, added, “We are absolutely delighted to be supporting the new St. Mary’s youth club in Aberavon.
“It will provide a safe and secure place for young people in the renewal area which I believe will further contribute to reducing antisocial behaviour in the area.
“My officers on patrol regularly engage with children on the streets who say they have nothing to do or nowhere to go. The provision of this new facility will give them an excellent venue to attend, as opposed to spending it on the streets.”
