Posted on: 21 October, 2024
Cranstoun held a launch event for its new hub for young people, called ROUTES, on Friday 18th October 2024, which saw the new hub opened by the Mayor of Dudley, Councillor Hilary Bills.
Young people have been instrumental in the design of the service and attended the event held at ROUTES in Dudley’s Merry Hill Shopping Centre, alongside local charity and third sector professionals.
ROUTES is a youth hub that provides a walk-in service for young people aged 13-25 where they can receive support for a range of issues such as mental health, drug and alcohol use, sexual health and general ‘whole-life support’.
The service aims to provide open access support in a safe space for young people, no matter what their background is.
Cranstoun already delivers other services for young people in the area, but the Service Manager, Latitia Simms said:
“More must be done to reach young people who would benefit from support in a trauma informed environment. We want this service to be as accessible as possible to young people across the borough. Merry Hill has a high footfall and is a key transport hub with many young people passing through.”
Connor Buxton, one of the young people who has worked with the charity on the development of ROUTES said:
“I have been delighted to work with the Cranstoun team on the design of the service. I have used their Here4Youth service for a while, so it feels great to be listened to and have input into the new service, ROUTES.”
By providing this service on an open-door basis, ROUTES is able to work with more young people than ever before. This is particularly important given the reduction in the availability of youth services across the UK, with 750 youth clubs closing since 2011. Most pointedly, Birmingham announced budget cuts to youth support workers recently.
Latitia Simms who manages ROUTES, said:
“At Cranstoun, we believe that every young person deserves to feel safe, understood and supported. We want to create a space for young people to turn to when they experience challenges or adversity in their day-to-day lives.
“We will build relationships based on trust and understanding, and aim to empower young people to reach their potential, no matter their circumstances.”
The West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster added:
“Our young people in Dudley have helped us tremendously in contributing to the development of Routes, to ensure it is a safe and accessible space.
“From selecting the design of the hub to the services available, young people have been central to this process.
“We must believe in, engage with, listen to, work with and invest in our young people in order to support them to flourish and feel safe in their community.”
You can learn more about ROUTES on our website here.