The Warren Centre Youth Innovation Hub

The Warren Centre Youth Innovation Hub, opened in February 2020 is our new space with an aim to be a specialist centre of youth action. The Warren Centre is managed by a group of young people, The Warren Centre Management Team, and will host groups of young people (known as ‘Youth Action Teams’).

The Warren Centre Management Team

The Warren Centre Management Team (pictured above) have been working as a team since 2018 to make this centre a reality. The COVID pandemic impacted how we could use the centre, but The Warren Centre Management Team and Youth Action Teams continued nonetheless, mostly online. The Warren Centre Management team worked as the Digital Steering Group for 6 months of 2020, helping to guide Fitzrovia Youth in Action during the pandemic, helping staff to navigate the new way of working, ensuring young people are listened to and still leading our work, even if it was all online.

The Digital Steering Group ran several projects during the height of the pandemic and lockdowns; one of which was Art N Soul, an online arts project bringing together young people who would like to be creative during their time at home. The group put together an art pack, consisting of materials and ideas for participants to benefit from. Participants were also invited to a WhatsApp group chat to share their artwork and inspire one another. Below, you can see some of the work produced by both group members and participants of Art N Soul.

The Warren Centre Management Team have now returned to their main work of The Warren Centre and are now focusing on the actual space itself! Working with designers from David Miller Architects, The Warren Centre Management Team are thinking about how the space can be warm, inviting and a space to really knuckle down on social action projects!

Youth Action Teams

Youth Action Teams are groups of young people working together to create positive change in their communities through a 12-week programme, and an action they plan and deliver. Young people are able to apply for up to £1000 in funding to support their project and are not limited to any particular topic – the only aim is to create some positive change! Since the opening of the new centre, the Youth Action Teams were put a little on hold due to the pandemic, however, in 2021, these groups have started with a bang! Four Youth Action Teams have taken place so far this year. For the most part, the sessions had to take place online, but we were able to meet face to face for a few final sessions and it was beautiful! The young people focused on varying topics, from beauty standards to racial discrimination within their school, using social media campaigns as well as film to share their message.

Now that restrictions are easing within the UK and we are able to use The Warren Centre again, we are running face to face Youth Action Teams and are always looking to work with more young people. If this is something you are interested in, please get in touch with our Youth Leadership Coordinator, Sumayah via sumayah-alain.khan@fya.org.uk.