We built a new youth centre!
We’ve only gone and done it! We have built an amazing youth centre right slap bang in the middle of Llandudno.
We’ve always had a space. From 2009-2014 that was Reverb Youth Bar on Madoc St. It was brilliant, it was cool, it was state-of-the-art, it was like a Costa Coffee, but just for teenagers – but it was ultimately too small, too expensive, and with only one year lease extensions, ultimately too short term.
So, we packed up and moved to Ty Llywelyn Community Centre. This was a completely different beast, and a beast it was… it was enormous! it had multiple rooms, a couple of halls, an office, storage space, and even an outside football court. It was also right on the doorstep of Ysgol John Bright. We enjoyed six happy years there, but it also wasn’t perfect. We had to share the space with many other users, so it wasn’t really “ours”. This meant that every event and every project that we wanted to run needed a lot more set up in order to put our own stamp on it. It was hard work running projects when you knew that you were going to be there for hours beforehand and afterwards, just to make it work. So, during COVID we began our search for a new space.
At this point we want to give a big shout-out to Gloddaeth Church and the Presbyterian Church of Wales. They have made it possible for us to create a brand new, bespoke youth centre. We have taken over the halls adjacent to Gloddaeth Church. This used to be a mechanic’s garage, and once upon a time it was Llandudno’s firehouse, when the fire engines of the day were horse and cart. Our office now is in the old hayloft!
So, what is it and what have we done?
For the last ten months we have worked incredibly hard to make a professional-quality space for young people. It has a small stage with guitars and a sound system. It has three different seating bars, including one attached to a kitchen with hot chocolate machines. It has a large screen TV with computer games. There’s a pool table, table football, arcade machines, and the best hanging chair you’ve ever seen! There are bookcases full of boardgames, trolleys full of art supplies, and in case they weren’t sure – a giant neon sign that says “You Are Welcome.”
Upstairs we have built an office, a small group area, and a place for team to hang out. We’re now in the process of converting the second large upstairs room into a mixture of storage and creative space, including hot-desk homework zones.
We’ve worked really hard to make sure it doesn’t look like just another run-down hall. Everything has been finished very well, using high quality materials that should last for years.
To be perfectly honest, it’s not totally finished yet. We’ve just replaced all the lights and we have begun to have some pilot youth groups to test it, but it’s still going to take a few more months before we’re satisfied that it’s totally ready to roll.
Check out these photos cataloguing some of the journey – and scroll down to see the ‘nearly finished’ product!
Let’s just say this has been a huge undertaking and we are so grateful for all the support we’ve had. We’ve had incredible volunteers and donors supporting this work – that said, now the hard work really begins.
As I hope you can tell, we have tried to do this right. We want to provide young people with the best resource we possibly can. We don’t want to create just another hall with peeling paint, and some broken down games. We want young people to feel so blessed by this space!
Earlier in the year I travelled to London to visit some of the best youth centres in the UK. I was blown away by what I learned. There is so much opportunity for us to do this well!
So, here’s my direct appeal: Please consider becoming one of our monthly donors. To create and run this centre well and seize the opportunity with both hands, we really do need to raise another £350 a month. Could you become one of our monthly partners? If 35 more people were to give £10 a month (a cup of coffee a week!), then we’d be there! Could you help us out?
Also, linked to this, is a slightly cheekier direct appeal to churches. Please consider making Youth for Christ one of your missionary giving partners. We want Youth for Christ to be fully invested in by the local community. We are very grateful for the support we get from local churches, but like many of these organisations most of our support comes from very few sources. Help us spread the load by becoming part of this journey. At your next eldership meeting, consider asking the question whether your church could budget some financial support for Youth for Christ to help us connect young people of Jesus in this area. That would be amazing!
Now – check out the photos!
