Warren Centre
The Warren Centre Coming Soon – A youth-led community hub in 2020
In January 2015, Derwent London offered FYA a disused and derelict basement of Suffolk House to convert into a dedicated delivery space and youth led social action and community hub.
The basement of Suffolk House was in need of a complete refurbishment to create a centre to develop a Youth Action Innovation Hub to provide local young people with the facilities, inspiration, resources and support to identify issues of concern in their community and devise social action projects to address them – empowering young people to create happier, healthier, safer and better connected communities.
Having experienced some delays in getting the build started, we are happy to report the works have finally been completed. We now have full control of a brand new activity hall, located right next to our Warren Sports Pitch and play area. From February 2020, the Centre will be in use by young people with a launch expected in April 2020.
A management group of young people will be overseeing activities at the centre and at least five steering groups will run new projects from the centre by the end of 2020
To find out more about our Youth Management Team and hear what they have been up to click here.
The potential difference the Warren Centre will make to our community is enormous. It will become a hub for the community to come together, for young people to have the opportunity to have a real impact on its development and for everyone involved to learn and appreciate each other’s needs, wants and aspirations.
The FYA 2019-21 Strategic Plan includes key priorities of increasing the number of young people participating in youth-led social action and creating more opportunities for them to set the agenda for community action; this project goes a long way to making that possible.
Young people will be empowered through having access to a dedicated space they can take ownership of and developing youth-led solutions to improve cohesion, safety, health and well-being. The change created will have a lasting impact and improve connections between individuals and groups. In doing this they will gain transferable skills and confidence, which help them access future employment opportunities.
Between January and April, we will be piloting the first ‘Youth Action Team’ cohort at the Centre.