1 May 2013

Youth Alive Trust building a future for young people & families in the east of Christchurch

Exciting plans have just been released by Youth Alive Trust, in New Brighton, Christchurch, to redevelop a large part of its current building - housed in an old supermarket - into a purpose built Youth & Community Centre for the east of Christchurch.

The exciting development is multi faceted and will be done in stages as funding is obtained.

• Stage 1 will refit and develop a multi purpose Youth Gym, large enough to play team sports, high enough to play ball games, warm enough for toddlers activities, and cool enough to do Dance Classes! Project due to start before the end of 2013.
• Stage 2 will refit and fix a multi purpose designed Youth Lounge for young people to relax, play games, do arts and crafts, listen to music, view activities in the sports hall and gather whole groups together. Includes double doors that lead into an outdoor courtyard and storage for equipment.
• Stage 3 will develop a Modern and fully equipped Crèche with separate areas for under 2’s and over 2’s, childrens toilets, changing facilities and kitchen.
• Stages 4 & 5 will develop a variety of offices to cater for staff from at least 4 different agencies working with children, young people and their families. Also meeting rooms offering free budget advice and a sound proof Music Room for young people to learn, play and explore different musical instruments, and develop new talents.
• Stage 6 & 8 will develop an appealing building facade, entrance way and information office, welcoming to any visitor, parent or young person entering from the Beresford Street side.
• Stage 7 will build a safe and fun outdoor play area for children including artificial lawn, asphalt, sandpits and decking.

The Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust granted $408,000 in February 2012 towards the Stage 1 cost of refitting the earthquake-damaged premises to provide a purpose-built youth gym. The $408,000 is contributed by an anonymous donor who gave $5 million to the Appeal to help fund projects for children in the eastern suburbs.

Youth Alive Trust is continuing discussions and applications with other funders to raise the estimated $1.6 million cost for the whole project.

Youth Alive Trust has been based in the old Dollarwise supermarket for over 20 years, and during this time has adapted their programmes to the layout and design of the building. Now named ‘Grace Vineyard Beach Campus’, and formerly called ‘Seaview Christian Centre’, the building has been a community centre for many years and was a key hub directly after the February 2011 Earthquake for many months, serving thousands of families.

Damage caused to the building during the Christchurch Earthquakes has been the catalyst to plan for the next 20 years, providing a facility used by pre-schoolers, children, youth, parents and grandparents from all over the east of Christchurch.

Manager, James Ridpath says “It has been a privilege to serve the young people and families in our community for over 20 years, but it’s now time to provide a facility this community can be proud of. Over 200 young people use our facility every week in our programmes and our staff work with hundreds more in the community and local schools.

The ‘supermarket’ has had its time, and the new design will allow more groups to use it, more programmes for young people and more collaboration between different local agencies. It’s a vision for a supermarket of social services for our community!”

A great deal of background work on the plans have been ongoing for more than 2 years with architects, engineers , builders and community leaders and this includes a Feasibility Study, which highlighted the need for more performing arts spaces, adaptable activity spaces and partnership spaces.

Burwood Pegasus Councillor, Peter Beck says “the east of Christchurch is still a lively and vibrant part of Christchurch, and these plans are just one of many that will continue to make the east of Christchurch such a great place to live”.

The Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust has also contributed $126,000 towards additional youth programmes on the east of Christchurch through Youth Alive Trust over a two-year period. This has enabled youth workers to spend more time with young people living in ever changing circumstances and provide activities and programmes that bring stability and fun into their lives. New programmes include a weekly club for Years 9 & 10 called Surge, an increase in mentoring hours, free activities for young people in the school holidays at New Brighton Library, a music programme for local teenagers, resource costs for a Youthworker in 3 local primary schools, a training programme for junior leaders and increased support to large community events such as “I Love New Brighton”.
Background Information

Youth Alive Trust works with hundreds of children & young people every week through its 8 programmes;

1) Safer Streets Programmes. After school and evening programmes including: Cheeky Little Monkeys (Years 1 - 2), Kool Katz (Years 3-4), WAVE (Years 5 - 6), Rock Solid (Years 7 - 8), Surge (Years 9-10) and Sodium (Years 11 - 13).

2) In-School Programmes Supporting students in school, on lunchtimes, through extra curricula activities, small groups and life skills programmes in Central New Brighton Primary, North New Brighton Primary & South New Brighton Primary and Aranui High School (24-7).

3) Holiday Programmes The programmes run 4 times a year for three different school year categories, 1 – 4’s, 5 – 8’s, 9-13’s every school holidays, catering for 100 young people.

4) Camps. Taking youths on trips, camps and weekends away throughout the year, such as Base Camp, Boot Camp, Easter Camp, 40 Hour Famine Sleepover and AMPED Camp.

5) Library Support. Youth Workers are employed in New Brighton Library everyday outside of school time, and weekends to support youth activities and relationships. They organise free activities for community young people in every school holidays.

6) Mentoring Meeting one-on-one with young people for relational support, goal setting and affirming encouragement.

7) Community Events Organising and supporting large community events such as the I Heart New Brighton, Beach Blast, Skate Jam & our own Family Fun Night.

8) Youth Leader training and Support Attracting and training around 50 volunteers to work in their community on our programmes.

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About the Appeal Trust:

The Christchurch Earthquake Appeal was launched by Prime Minister John Key on 27 February 2011 as the Government’s official, global fundraiser for the recovery effort and to date it has raised more than $100 million in donations and pledges. The Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust is responsible for allocating the funds raised to support earthquake recovery initiatives. The Trust is an independent charity, registered under the Charities Act of New Zealand and is governed and operated by the Trustees independent of government.