New youth club opens to help keep young off the streets
A NEW youth club has opened in Canley as part of an initiative to keep youths off the streets.
The facility, which opened on October 20, is the second the community partnership ESCAPE has launched in Coventry over the past month.
It aims to provide a shared space for youths with engaging activities, mentorship, guidance and advice to help get them off the streets.
The centre is packed with facilities such as pool tables, arcades, table tennis, and hosts football sessions to allow youths to socialise and cultivate team spirit.
Youths will also have access to mentors who provide support and advice to steer youngsters away from gang violence and knife crime. ESCAPE is a partnership between West Midlands Police and local youth worker Anton Noble.
Anton, who also works at the
Wood End branch, said: “The space aims to get young people away from anti-social behaviour and gang activity, a space where they can escape their reality in their community.
“We have pool tables, football, arcade, table tennis, play stations. We also hold activities to bring kids together to do team building, education, help them sign up for courses, find work, and give them financial advice on how to get out of gangs.
“They will have mentors there and access to support. The clubs are free to attend. We have 50 kids in our Wood End branch. Our Canley facility opened two weeks ago and it is bigger than the Wood End branch.
“Twenty-two kids came and we’re hoping more will join.” Speaking about the work he does, Anton added: “When I was younger, youth clubs were part of my growth and very positive moments in my life.
“I still remember my mentors who used to help me when I was younger and they were a key figure of my life. It’s about activities and bringing kids together, socialising and educating them on how to speak to people, adults and get a head start in life.
“Youth clubs are very important in the the community. It lowers anti-social behaviour and gang violence, and the only way to make a community safer is to learn we are all in the same situation and to empower the community.”
ESCAPE Canley is open every Thursday during term time from 6.30pm to 8pm at Canley Community Centre. Under 13s and over 14s groups will run on alternative weeks.
Youngsters attending can expect music, rapping, cinema, Fifa nights, table tennis, hand football, pizza nights. The themed events are designed to cater for the whole community regardless of faith and culture.