The Switch Youth Café wins the Lottery!!

 The Switch Youth Café has been awarded £335,802 by the Big Lottery Fund, to cover all the running costs for the first 5 years of its life.

The Switch Youth Café, which is situated at 34a High Street and is due to open later this year, has been a concept that the Maidstone Youth Forum (MYF) have dreamt of for over 10 years. The MYF, who are a council of young people that represent the views and interests of other young people across Maidstone, are now finally seeing their dream become a reality. This dream began when the MYF recognised that Young people of Maidstone want/need a place that they can call their own. This was often talked about, but due to the obvious financial barriers it never went any further than this. But in 2004 there was a lot of negative publicity about young people hanging around in the town centre, to which the MYF responded by commissioning a report to ascertain the reasons for this. The report confirmed the MYF’s beliefs that more social spaces for young people are needed in the town centre. This report helped to gain the interest and support from Maidstone Borough Council, Town Centre Management and other supporting bodies, and has proved to be the catalyst that this project has needed.

5 years on and the dream is almost a reality. First of all the MYF needed to find a suitable building. MBC have kindly offered them the premises at the bottom of High Street on a rent free basis for 5 years. The building needed refurbishing before it could be a suitable space for a café, and this needed money. The MYF put a funding application together and were awarded £40,000 from the Youth Capital Fund. This, along with support from MBC and donations from councilors, has seen the building transformed.

The MYF have been involved in every decision along the way, from the choice of premises, to the colour of chairs, and the choosing of trustees.

Due to open later this year, the café will be a comfortable space for young people to come to and enjoy drinks and snacks, and to listen to music. We are also hoping to be able to offer free wi-fi access as well. There will also be opportunities for young people to volunteer at the café, and to gain accreditations in social enterprise. The café will also be able to be used as a meeting space for other youth organizations, and the upper floor will be rented out on a permanent basis to a number of youth related organizations as well. This will help the café to become financially sustainable as well as providing a more holistic youth provision.

The funding that is being received from the Big Lottery Fund will allow the café to open 6 days a week, and to employ a full time manager as well as a number of assistants.

Photo opportunities with the MYF, trustees and Cabinet Member will be available on request.

THE VENUE ...

• The building is on Lower High Street.
• This is a good location centrally located, near the shops and bus stops.
• It is a good size and has lots of rooms which can be used for different things.
• The Council own it and said we can use it!

WHAT WOULD BE IN IT?

• We would like to have a cafe area selling affordable sandwiches, drinks and snacks.
• We would like to have meeting rooms.
• We would like to have workshops for fun and for learning.
• We would like music, dukebox and live open mike nights.
• We would like young peoples art exhibitions and clothing ranges.
• We would like it to look stylish and fresh and appealing to everyone.

This is the venue we are planning to have the Switch Youth Cafe!

The Switch Yout Venue is down the road between The Barber Shop and In-toto. 

One of the rooms down stairs

The lovely sink in the bathroom!

The ceiling downstairs/the floor upstairs!

A room upstairs

WHY IS THIS PROJECT NEEDED?

• For over a decade young people in Maidstone have wanted their own youth venue.

• This was confirmed by recent research coducted by Maidstone Youth Forum and the University of Kent; The "Hanging About" project which explored why young people gather in large groups in the town centre.

• This confirmed that young people want to meet with their friends in a safe central location, near the shops and buses and don't want to cause trouble.

WHY DO WE NEED SWITCH?

• For young people aged 11-21 years old.
• there are a few places we can go without being branded as antisocial and being moved on.
• It will give us a place to go of our own.
• It will be a safe place to meet.
• According to consultation for the Youth Matters Strategy young people would like a place to go, somewhere that's their own,  a place to feel safe, with different activities and advice and guidance (WE took part in this!)

ACHIEVEMENTS SO FAR ...

• Set up a steering group of young people and partners.
• Submitted bids and gained £5,000 from the Youth Opportunities Fund.
• Gained 300 signatures of support within 45 minutes in the Town Centre.
• Gained strong support from Maidstone Borough Councillors and Kent County Councillors, gaining £10,000 from members grants.
• Awarded £40,000 from the Youth Capital Fund!
• In total we have raised £55,000 (so far)
• With this support we have explored many venues.
• Held gig nights to raise awareness, teaming with KCC Youth Service , YOG bands and Infozones Flash filming project.
• We have employed a part time member of staff to support us.
• We have commissioned Hit Communication to produce a business plan and marketing stratergy

AND ...

• WE HAVE FOUND A REALLY GOOD VENUE!!!

FOR MORE INFORMATION ...

For more information please contact Martin Caville on the details below:

Telephone: 01622 602795

Email: martincaville@maidstone.gov.uk