THE Riverside Youth Cafe, which was closed to have a new music room and office installed, has reopened.
Funded by Dawlish Action For Youths, the cafe is open every Tuesday and Thursday evening from 7pm to 9pm and there are now connection sessions on Thursday afternoon from 1pm to 2.30pm. Here work is undertaken with young people who are out of jobs or education.
One young person came in who had been out of work for more than a year and didn't know what to do. Finding that he liked lifeguarding, it was arranged for him to do a lifesaving course and he is now an employed, qualified lifeguard.
The connection session is hoping to be extended from 1pm to 4pm in the near future.
Kris Burton, a youth worker at the cafe, said: 'I got in to youth working in 1999 through an 18 month Raleigh International course. I also went to Ghana in Africa for three months to help build a school and do a nature survey.
'When I came back, part of my course was to do a community project, as part of that I came to Dawlish to do DJ workshops. I started as a volunteer, got more and more hours to do and am now project coordinator of the Riverside Youth Cafe.'
On an average night, the cafe sees 25-35 young people go through its doors and since it opened two years ago, it has been getting more popular every week.
'Generally the kids have been really good and well behaved, and the scheme has been welcomed by the residents of Dawlish,' added Mr Burton.
Tonight it is a night of music with an African drumming workshop and DJ, next Tuesday is the art and craft workshop in which a logo/design for the cafe needs to be made. Next Thursday will see another music night in which young people can make their own dance songs using a music workstation. Tuesday, May 27 is quiz night and on Thursday, May 28, it is party night when there will be guest DJ's.
For more information on the cafe's activities, call Lee Jones on 01626 864412.