Youth centre 'desperate' for staff so it can reopen

The Frith Youth Centre has been closed since Christmas

A village youth club is "desperate" for workers to help run its services.

The Frith Youth Centre in Bussage, near Stroud in Gloucestershire, has been closed since Christmas because of a lack of staff.

Administrator Bev Roesen said she had advertised roles for the past few months without success, after members of the youth team left for other roles.

"We have about 200 young people on our books. To have that amount of interest is incredible, " she said.

"The kids are desperate to get back in."

The centre was founded in 1961 as the Bussage Boy's Club.

It is normally open on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays for young people in school years six and above.

Ms Roesen said: "We need at least two staff in the building for safeguarding, so I'm absolutely desperate to find the people that are perfect for the role."

She said young people in the area are "bored" and had been waiting outside the centre hoping it would reopen but that cannot happen until more staff are recruited.

"There's a lot of mental health support we offer and it's a really nice safe space," she added.

'Role models'

Lead youth worker Stephanie Smith said young people need "role models" and "something to focus on other than just sitting at home looking at their phones".

"We teach things like DJing, we have ramps for them to do cycling on - any sport they can think of," she added.

"It's hard to be a young person in the modern world these days and I think having somewhere they can go that isn't school, isn't home, is really important.

"I really want to let the children in. We are redecorating soon and I want to get the kids involved."

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