SYZ (Salford Youth Zone) will be a purpose-built facility, offering activities and professional youth worker support to young people as well as a hot meal, seven-days-a-week Announcement comes as new research reveals that almost 3 in 5 (59%) parents and guardians in Greater Manchester feel the current provision of activities and support for young people are not adequate enough to meet their needs[1] New patron and donor, Waterland, will also be supporting with corporate volunteering, events and other collaborative opportunities for young people Empower Youth Zones, a local charity which already operates HideOut Youth Zone in Manchester, has received a £100,000 donation from Waterland to support the running of a new youth zone in Salford. Completion of the new-build, 'SYZ' (Salford Youth Zone) is scheduled for 2025. New patron of Empower Youth Zones, Waterland, commissioned research which found that 81% of all parents and guardians polled in Greater Manchester agree that businesses should contribute to the funding of youth centres and activities in the local area. Whilst the overwhelmingly majority (96%) of Greater Manchester parents and guardians polled believe it is important that young people have the opportunity to get involved in activities locally (outside of school or college)[2] – almost 3 in 5 (59%) stated that the current provision of activities and support for young people in their community is not adequate enough to meet their needs[3]. SYZ will be a purpose-built youth zone, open seven days-a-week, providing affordable access to more than 20 activities per session, including sports, arts, music, employability and mentoring support. Every day there will be sessions for young people aged 8-19, or up to 25 for those with an additional need or disability - and a hot meal will be provided to all. Continues... Empower Youth Zone's existing youth zone 'HideOut' based in Gorton Manchester opened in 2020 and has already supported over 7,000 young people access services that aim to improve their lives chances, with over 20 activities every day, 7days per week all year. Due to its success and positive impact, Empower has created the opportunity to develop a sister youth zone named SYZ (Salford Youth Zone) by Salford's young people and is now calling for more local businesses to become Empower Youth Zone Patrons and support local young people across Greater Manchester. Adam Farricker, CEO of Empower Youth Zones in Manchester and Salford, said: "We are thrilled to welcome Waterland to SYZ's Founder Patron family. This new partnership represents a significant move forward as we build and develop new connections to support SYZ. Our Patrons are fundamental to delivering our vision and we are calling for other local businesses and organisations to talk to us about how they can get involved. "By working collaboratively with Waterland, together we will build a brighter future for young people across the city. This is passionate, properly funded youth provision. A unique partnership between young people, their community, local authorities, private business leadership and a growing movement of supporters." Ryan Hallworth, Principal at Waterland said: "As a Patron of Empower Youth Zones, we're delighted to be helping children and young people develop new skills and unlock their potential through SYZ and HideOut – helping twice as many young people as before. In addition to donating funds, we will also be supporting SYZ with corporate volunteering, events, and other collaborative opportunities. SYZ's focus is to equip the next generation with the tools they need to lead successful lives, and we are excited about the opportunities that this new Youth Zone will bring to our community." Founder Patrons' contributions combine to create 70% of the annual running costs of a Youth Zone, and the support will provide a foundation to develop and maintain excellent services for young people which match the quality of the building. Empower gives young people from a diverse range of backgrounds access to incredible facilities with engaging activities, the opportunity to make friends, develop new skills, unlock their potential and have fun. For more information, please visit https://empoweryouthzones.org
