Youth Genesis has received vital support from Dartmouth United Charities to help deliver youth services for teenagers in the town. The funding will help Youth Genesis to deliver two weekly youth clubs and a street based youth project which aims to support young people hanging out on the streets of Townstal on Friday nights.

The organisation works with communities to develop quality youth activities and projects for young people aged 11-25.

The youth clubs include: Decks Youth Venue, which is open on Thursday evenings from 6.30-8.30pm at the Ivy Lane Young Peoples Centre and The Point Youth Drop-In, which is based at St Clements Church Hall in Townstal on Friday nights from 7.00-9.00pm. Both sessions are aimed at 11-17 year olds, with youth volunteering opportunities for 18-25 year olds.

The youth sessions offer games, crafts, cooking, discussion groups, bicycle repair, sports activities and support for young people experiencing challenges such as bullying or social isolation. The youth sessions are staffed by a team of volunteers who give their time to support over 140 young people each week.

Funding for the youth sessions comes from a mixed range of sources, which includes Dartmouth Town Council, local Churches and more recently, Dartmouth United Charities.

Youth Genesis is also working in other parts of Devon to support communities to setup youth projects and activities for 11-25 year olds in areas where there are currently no generic youth services. The Youth Genesis approach is to work with communities to identify assets and explore how they can be best used for the benefit of local young people. Building on the work in Dartmouth, Youth Genesis is about to relaunch the Youth Leisure Nights on Friday, May 11, which will be based at the Dartmouth Leisure Centre.

Jonathan Oliverio, Lead Youth Officer at Youth Genesis said: “We are really excited to receive support from Dartmouth United Charities, the funding will help us significantly to provide activities and a range of support for young people in the town.”

The Youth Genesis Trust specialises in offering activities and opportunities of learning and support for young people aged 11-25 who are at risk. Youth Genesis trains local volunteers to work with the young people encouraging them to make a positive transition into adulthood. If you would like to get involved, please contact Michelle Taylor by email: [email protected] or visit www.youthgenesis.org.uk

For more information on Youth Genesis visit www.youthgenesis.org.uk