Youth club set up to tackle anti-social behaviour

Enthusiasm Trust has announced it has set up a new youth club in a Derby suburb to help keep teenagers off the street.

The charity, which works with children who are at risk of exclusion from school or offending, has established the youth club in Chellaston after it saw an increase in anti-social behaviour over the last 12 months.

The club, which is held every Wednesday evening in a community centre, in Barley Croft, is attracting around 30 teenagers a week with sports, gaming, crafts, food and music.

The organisation, which is based in Cotton Lane, is expanding its outreach work across the city into areas which have been identified as hotspots for groups of teenagers, especially where dispersal orders have been issued.

It has seen a 33% increase in the numbers of young adults attending its youth clubs in Osmaston and Clifton, in Nottingham and hopes to set up similar youth clubs in other areas of the city.

Chief executive April Allman said: “We have seen a big rise in the number of young people attending our youth clubs and although we haven’t been open for long in Chellaston it is clear that the need is there, just by the numbers we have attending already.

“We know that when young people congregate there is more likely to be anti-social behaviour, violence and aggression – so we want to get young people away from hanging out in places like parks and shopping centres, by offering them alternatives.

“We hope to replicate what we in Chellaston in other areas of the city where we know there are increasing levels of anti-social behaviour.”

The Chellaston youth club is currently funded by Enthusiasm Trust’s patronage club, which includes businesses such as Smith Partnership, HUUB, Icons Talent and Ivygrove Developments, but the charity is hoping to secure funding to make the enterprise long term.