Liverpool teenager-led community project gets £3.5m funding

Sha'Rae Riley (centre left) said the project is "led by young people for young people"

A group of teenagers has been given £3.5m to help transform a former primary school into a community hub.

The Tiber Young People's Steering Group (TYPSG) in Liverpool is helping to create an arts, sports and education centre.

The chairwoman of the Toxteth group, student Sha'Rae Riley, said the project is "led by young people for young people".

"We want to make sure young people have opportunities," she said.

The TYPSG is made up of young people between the ages of 14-18 years old who make all key decisions about the development of the four-acre Tiber Street Primary School site.

The new hub will include community arts, sports and education facilities

"We are the next generation and we know what young people want to see," Ms Riley, who is a student at the City of Liverpool College, said.

"We want to make sure the community has different jobs and opportunities for young people."

She said the grant of £3,578,949 from the government's Youth Investment Fund will be spent on adding educational rooms, a café, a function suite, and an outdoor event space.

She said after all the hard work of current and former members it was "a really exciting moment for us as a group".

Developers Krol Corlett have started building works and the hub is expected to open by the end of this year.

Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside, Kim Johnson, the community centre was "a much-needed youth resource facility and additional outdoor event space".

"I am delighted to see they will create new jobs, and be able to reach and support even more young people," she said.

Facilitator of the TYPSG, Stephen Nze, said: "All the young people should feel really proud about the way their hard work is paying off and how they have influenced the look and feel of their own area".

The Youth Investment Fund is a government project which funds youth projects to support thousands of young people to have improved mental and physical wellbeing, and skills for life and work.