August 2006 we welcomed 'The Place' in Dunstable
‘The Place’ Youth and Community Centre opened in 1995. Since it opened, there have been a variety of changes to what is on offer to young people, although the ethos remains the same and ‘The Place’ is a centre for legal socialising for young people in Dunstable and the surrounding areas. The building is managed by Dunstable Town Council. This means that the Town Council is responsible for the day to day running of the building, its maintenance and booking the different user groups of the building. Organisations supporting young people work from the building providing a variety of services to young people. Throughout the week Connexions are at ‘The Place’ every afternoon from 1.00 – 4.30 p.m. Monday to Friday. Once a month, the Chamber of Business meets young people to offer information on apprenticeships. There is SORTED, the young people’s counselling service offering free, confidential counselling to young people. The contact for SORTED is Liz Gillespie and the telephone number is 01582 890295. Plan B the substance misuse service for young people is at ‘The Place’ on Tuesday afternoons. The contact number is 01234 344911, ask for Shieuly. Alternatively, you could drop-in at ‘The Place’ on a Tuesday afternoon to speak to someone if you would like information about substance misuse. On a Sunday morning the Dunstable Community Church meets at ‘The Place’ to hold a Sunday School for slightly younger children. Contact Doug on 01582 477147.
The drop-ins are open Monday, Wednesday and Friday 7.00 – 9.30 p.m. and Saturday 12.00 – 4.00 p.m. At the drop-ins you can play pool, table football, board games, there is a PC with Internet access and a music system. There is a Playstation 2 with a selection of games and a TV with a DVD player for you to use. We have a special licence so that you can watch DVDs with an educational interest. There are board games to be played as well as arts and crafts materials for you to use. During the drop-ins you can access free, confidential information about sexual health. Free pregnancy tests are available as well as condoms and even Chlamydia screening. If anyone needs any of these services when the drop-in is closed then a visit to ‘The Place’ during any of the other opening times, for example, when Connexions are in the building, and ask for someone to call one of the Youth and Community staff based at Grove House next door to ‘The Place’.
The Dunstable Boardriders Club (DBC), a skateboarding group hold their meetings at ‘The Place’. The DBC, with the support of Dunstable Town Council, are seeking a permanent skate park in Dunstable. This is something which will happen in the future, so watch this space for more information!
Are you aged you between 13 and 20? Would you like to have a say in how Dunstable Town Council works with / responds to young people? Are you able to share representative views of other young people? If you would like to have your voice heard read on… A group of young people have formed a steering group with a view to having a democratically elected committee of young people to work alongside the existing committees of Dunstable Town Council. The committee is open to any young person living in Dunstable aged between 13 and 20. If you are at school, college, excluded or working you are eligible to put yourself forward for election. You do not need to have any special qualifications but an interest in your town. All young people living in Dunstable are eligible to vote for a teen councillor. The steering group meet at ‘The Place’ Youth and Community Centre in High Street North, most Wednesday evenings at 7.30 p.m. if you would like to find out more please come along. Please contact Dunstable Town Council 890617 (and ask for Tracy) or call ‘The Place’ on Wednesday evenings 890291 to speak to a member of the steering group. Actually the next meeting of the Teen Council is Monday 7th August at 7.30 p.m. at ‘The Place’. The group is planning a barbeque on Wednesday 16th August to promote the steering group and to encourage young people to become actively involved in the project. It’s free; and there may be a few surprises so come along!
For more information on 'The Place' please contact Tracy on 01582 890617