Youth centre in Harborough is set to reopen

The Cube in Symington Recreation Ground off St Mary’s Road will be thrown back open on Wednesday January 22.

Thrilled Charlotte Cooper, the Cube’s youth work manager, said: “These are very exciting times.

“We opened back in May 2014 and the centre’s been a huge success over the years.

“But we’ve not had a youth worker and been closed for about six months so it will be brilliant to relaunch on Wednesday.”

She said they would be running highly-specific sessions for youngsters aged from 11-18 from 5.30pm-7pm on Wednesday nights.

“We’ll be staging classes for groups up to 30 rather than hosting big free for all-type drop-ins.

“They’ll be targeted at young people learning a special skill such as making podcasts, YouTube videos and electrical work,” said Charlotte, 26, the only full-time member of staff.

“But we’ll also be mixing the fun with the serious.

“Our sessions will revolve around themes such as National Donut Week.

“We’ll always sit down to dinner together first before playing games, tackling various challenges and having a go at crafts.

“We’ll enjoy all sorts of weird and wonderful activities.

“And we’ll also spotlight more ‘grown-up’ issues such as Black History Month at the same time.”

Coming to the Cube from a pastoral management background in boarding schools, she said they want young people to “thrive and grow”.

“It’s crucial that they all develop their self-esteem and self-confidence.

“That’s absolutely vital to our young men and women going on to carve out successful futures and have happy, contented lives,” said Charlotte.

“We’ll work on giving them the practical, social, educational and psychological skills to become fine young people.

“And that will help them create a better society for all of us as well.”

Funded by multiple sources such as Children in Need, she’s recruited four adult volunteers to help her work with Harborough’s next generation.

“They come from different backgrounds and bring so many valuable talents and areas of expertise to the Cube.

“We are always keen to recruit new helpers so if you’d like to help us out please get in touch.

“We are also running a leadership course in the summer for young people,” said Charlotte, who lives in Leicester.

“And we work closely with a youth worker called Josh, employed by Harborough’s Anglican churches, who’s great.

“Young people have to become members of the Cube as we progress with them and their families but it is free.

“We’ve just had a new one-to-one room built here and we are lucky to have such a fantastic home.

“We’ve got a pizza oven outside, a garden for growing fruit and veg and a superb kitchen and amazing open space inside.

“We have pool tables, table football, TVs and games consoles so the Cube really is a marvellous multi-purpose base.”

If you would like to volunteer to join Charlotte’s growing team then you can call the Cube on 01858 437650 or email her at: [email protected]