A YOUTH charity which helps young people in Newton Abbot has launched a campaign highlighting the growing pressures on funding which now threatens some of its services.

SPACE was originally part of Devon County Council’s provision but became an independent charity in 2017 and Newton Abbot is one of several towns across the country to benefit.

Adam Winsor, Lead Youth Work Practitioner for Newton Abbot said: ‘Our youth centre is a powerful, and engaging environment for young people aged 11 to 19 to learn, develop confidence, develop new skills, a sense of belonging, grow as well as simply being young and having fun in a space of their own design.

‘Young people always have somewhere to go, something to do, and someone to talk to.

‘It is about opportunity, inclusivity and a space for all young people, regardless of your background or circumstances.’

SPACE is widely recognised by local services as a trusted partner, working alongside schools, police, and health professionals.

In Newton Abbot, the charity operates three nights a week of ‘open access’ youth club provision and a dedicated session for SEND and neurodivergent young peoples aged 11 to 19.

The team has other street-based and outreach provision where staff have worked in the town centre, Bakers Park and Kingsteignton.

As well as running an online youth centre three evenings a week, the team works closely with local schools, health, police and other community organisations in Newton Abbot.

Adam explained: ‘For example, we have been working with public health and young people in Newton Abbot on a project around a Smokefree Generation and recent law changes.

‘Young people have been involved in a graffiti project around this and created media for a campaign.

‘And we recently took a group of 14 to 17 year olds to Thorpe Park from Newton Abbot to offer positive risk taking activities and opportunity of things to do in half term.

‘Some of these services would be restricted or reduced in the future without. further funding in Newton Abbot.

‘We currently work with more than 300 young people a week in Newton Abbot from our youth centre, youth clubs, in schools, street based.

‘We are lucky to have a fantastic, big youth centre with a MUGA, recording studio, creative studio, music studio, sensory room, arcade room, and lots of fun, engaging resources for young people to access as well as brilliant professionally trained youth workers.’

The new campaign, Investing in Devon’s Young People, Together, is aimed at safeguarding the vital work with young people across the county, including our youth centre in Newton Abbot.

Devon remains one of the last counties in England to have retained a county-wide youth service.

One young person, who benefited from SPACE’s support, said: ‘I was terrified about opening up, but you gave me a safe place where I could speak, and I knew I had help.

‘It made a huge difference and has really helped me.’

Dan Barton, CEO of SPACE, said: ‘Devon is one of the last counties to keep its youth services. That makes us proud – but it also makes us vulnerable.

‘We need the public’s help to protect what works, so that no young person in Devon is left without the support they need.’

Donations can be made via the SPACE website: www.spaceyouthservices.org/invest.