Network Ryde, a leading youth service dedicated to providing a safe and inclusive space for young people, has announced the launch of a crowdfunding campaign to kit-out its new youth centre located at St Thomas’ Church, Ryde, Isle of Wight. Network Ryde aims to create an environment where young people feel comfortable and confident to express themselves while accessing opportunities, support, and guidance. The new youth centre at St Thomas’ Church offers four times the usable space compared to Network Ryde’s current centre, allowing for expanded services and offerings to all young people on the Island. Through successfully securing funding from the Youth Investment Fund for capital works, Network Ryde has transformed the space into an innovative youth centre. The centre features confidential meeting rooms for youth workers and other agencies, a sensory room, a state-of-the-art kitchen, and increased capacity for young people. However, Network Ryde now seeks community support to fully equip this remarkable space for the benefit of young people. The funds raised through the crowdfunding campaign will be allocated towards the following essential areas: 1. Kitchen Upgrade (£2,200): Young people have asked for improved kitchen facilities to be able to hold cooking sessions which will allow them to be able to cook and eat together. We will also be able to bring produce that young people have grown from the allotment to the kitchen to cook with as well. By delivering cooking sessions it will help provide young people with life skills, as well as improving well-being by being able to share their skills with others. We need to equip the kitchen with utensils, crockery, white goods, and appliances. 2. Sensory and Wellbeing Room (£3,900): We would like to be able to provide an amazing sensory and wellbeing room for young people to use to help regulate themselves when things become overwhelming. We have looked at a package that is used within the NHS which includes a calming waterless bubble tube and base, wall projector and interactive colour change aroma machine with rocking seats as well. This will also support young people with additional needs who access our service. 3. IT Pods and Gaming (£6,200): We are creating 6 IT stations in some of the pew areas for young people to use for homework, job opportunities and for project use. The PCs have Deep Freeze software on to ensure passwords are not saved and appropriate safeguards in place. We are also setting up a gaming pod that is separate from the IT stations for more interactive gaming. This will allow young people to use the facilities when they might not have the option at home. Gaming can help build friendships and reduce social isolation. 4. Furnishings and Storage (£6,300): This is needed to provide furniture and soft furnishing throughout the youth centre, as well as storage for our Duke of Edinburgh’s Award equipment. 5. Outdoor and Sports (£1,400): We have a small outdoor space outside the front of the new centre so would like to provide some seating areas for young people as we know the benefits of being outside in nature has on wellbeing. We would also like to purchase a table tennis table and yoga mats to be able to offer some additional physical wellbeing sessions. We have donated a pool table already. 
Bex Swan, Network Ryde Youth Work Manager said:
“By supporting our crowdfunding campaign, you are not just contributing to the outfitting of a building; you are investing in the future of young people. With your support, we can create a space where creativity flourishes, ideas thrive, and young people are empowered to reach their full potential.”
To contribute to Network Ryde’s crowdfunding campaign and make a positive impact on the lives of young people, please visit Network Ryde – New Building Kit Out – a Community crowdfunding project in Ryde by Ryde Town Council (crowdfunder.co.uk).
So glad they are safe they must of been petrified. So easy to happen . Many thanks to the rescue team . That could of easily of been a very different ending.
If people think that this will make any difference to antisocial behaviour in Ryde then they are imo delusional.
Give nothing for we pay enough in our taxes and council tax now keeping the ever growing number of nere do wells.
At least this is a choice atm but how long before it’s trashed, burnt or items stolen and the precepts rise to fund replacements
Parents get hundreds in child support and universal credit so fund your own children’s five minutes entertainment
Doesn’t get funding from taxation. Read the report. Do you remember when there WERE youth clubs, recreation grounds with equipment, funded and staffed by councils? If you do, and benefitted from them, why would you deny today’s kids a chance to have the same? Maybe today’s kids are more likely to turn into ne’re-do-wells BECAUSE there is little to do except home captivity, hmm?
So your saying youth clubs or home captivity, what a choice. So they can’t go out WITHOUT causing trouble to society then, this is basically what your suggesting, your cotton wool lined house must be really cosy, I suggest you stay there, and not comment on things you know zilch about.
Lol. You have no idea how funny that was.
This isn’t initially being funded from taxes, but like you said, it will get trashed, then the council will be asked to step in, they won’t of course, and it will close.
I’m sure it’s well-intentioned, but I honestly don’t think that the kids who attend places like this are the ones who are causing anti-social problems in the area and over the Island in general.
Can we really see the local yobs going along for cookery lessons, or to use the ‘sensory and well-being room’?
Possibly not, but it’s about giving kids an alternative to that option before the rot sets in. The sensory room is for kids with needs to socialise rather than be isolated.
yawn, so predictable. Anyone who is anti social will never go to anywhere like this, they just like to cause trouble, they think it is more fun to smash stuff or attack people, can’t do that easily in a youth club can they.
That’s really not the point of youth services. They’re not there just to get the kids who cause trouble off the streets you know
We need more spaces for old people like me!
There’s loads but to be honest we need good public transport to get people to them!
Bingo, bowls club, social clubs, Ramblers and of course….pubs.
These should be essential services and not being paid by the public. It’s disgraceful. We need to have places for young people where they can discuss their feelings and get help and it should be mandatory that we have these places. Why do people think that young people services should be paid for by crowdfunding. It’s disgraceful!