Wallasey Youth Hub - Wirral
Locating a youth hub in a fire station
 When the young people of Wirral heard they were going to get a new and exciting youth hub they could hardly have guessed just how innovative it would be. Wirral certainly has a contender for most unusual place to build a youth hub - it was launched in a fire station!
Councillor Sheila Clarke, Wirral's Cabinet Member for Children's Services and Lifelong Learning said: "This really is a breakthrough for all residents in the area. No more bored teenagers hanging around corners with nothing to do. The hubs have been designed with a high degree of input from young people themselves who have worked with enthusiasm and passion to help establish these new facilities."
Fire officers use the upstairs of the building whilst the youth facility is downstairs. Councillor Lesley Rennie, ward councillor for Wallasey and one of the Council's representatives on the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority, said: "To have such a fantastic facility within the fire station is great news for everyone."
The Wallasey youth hub is one of four centres operating five nights a week, including weekends. The four youth hubs are: Wallasey Fire Station, Birkenhead's Shaftesbury Youth Club, West Wirral's West Kirby Youth Hub, and South Wirral's Eastham Youth Hub.
Outreach work in Wirral has been divided into four district teams in line with the ‘super clubs'. Councillor Sheila Clarke said: "Young people deserve the best in leisure facilities open at times they want and doing things they enjoy. I am very pleased that the hubs are now opening, offering fun and interesting activities to help keep young people engaged, safe and happy in Wallasey and across the whole of Wirral."
The new hubs were built after national and local consultation with young people showed a want for improved youth club provision, and greater availability. The young people asked, also said as long as the facilities were there they had no problems with arranging their own travel. Wirral residents had their wish for more modern facilities accessible at more convenient times granted when the locations and times of the hubs were expanded.
Councillor Clarke said: "Through the activities, including MCing, music, drama, dance, sports, and a range of support services, the project also aims to provide new chances and opportunities for local young people and help to tackle some of their problems including training, education, and health needs."
Although locating a youth hub in a fire station is a unique and rather quirky idea, the Council insist it isn't just a gimmick, but a positive move for young people in the area. Councillor Rennie said: "The Fire Service has a duty to teach young people about fire safety. It helps keep them safe and stops them making risky decisions." She added: "This sort of link-up is an excellent way to help with that and the Wallasey youngsters will also benefit from these modern facilities open at the times they want."
The plans for the area extend beyond just providing the youth hubs, they also include promoting and facilitating the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme so that young people from the whole borough have access to it.
The official launch of the Mill Lane hub lived up to the buzz that's been surrounding it's opening for months - attendees from the community were treated to break-dancers, beat-boxers and swing singers at the fire station, and even took part by performing music and dance acts of their own. The occasion was marked by speeches from Wirral's own Mayor, Councillor Alan Jennings, the deputy Chief Fire Officer Mike Hagen, and council worker Peter Edmondson. Mike Hagen said: "Wallasey is the blue print for what a modern fire station should be. It provides excellent facilities for fire fighters and is in the heart of the community, providing opportunities for everyone, young and old, to socialise, exercise and simply have a good time."
The funding which enabled the building of the youth hubs was from the Youth Capital Plus fund. Councillor Clarke said: "They will provide a safe space for young people to spend time in and socialise as well as take advantage of the advice and other services available."
The Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service have agreed a lease for the hub for 15 years.
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Resources 
Wallasey Youth Hub Case Study (
