Network Ryde has been awarded a transformational Youth Investment Fund grant worth £578,000 to renovate St Thomas’ Church for its youth service offer to young people across the Island.
It is very welcome news for young people supported by Network Ryde who will benefit from the generous funding and means that Network Ryde will be able to support another 200 young people when the project is complete.
Network Ryde’s new home will provide four times the space for Network Ryde, offering much-needed room for sports activities, gaming areas, a fully working kitchen, accessible bathroom and washing facilities, confidential spaces, and quiet study areas. It will also have an outdoor garden space to encourage nature, with seating, and bike storage.
The funding will also allow Network Ryde to expand their already dedicated team of Youth Workers, and to work more effectively with partner agencies, providing the opportunity for confidential meeting space, and community events.
Young people supported by Network Ryde played a key role in developing this exciting new project. Young people have been integral at every step of the process, seeing the building before purchasing it, working with the architects, and supporting with the application to the Youth Investment Fund.
Welcoming the Youth Investment Fund grant, Bex Swan, Youth Work Manager at Network Ryde comments:
“We are ecstatic to announce the funding from the Youth Investment Fund for our new building. We have already started its renovation with a new roof in May and are working alongside a fantastic project team of Tim Wander and Leah Mew and the young people to make the church a wonderful new home for Network Ryde. The possibilities are endless!”
Michael Lilley, Ryde’s Mayor said:
“Ryde Town Council believes that the future generations of Ryde need to be a priority focus and as a council we have invested in our youth service, Network Ryde, prior and post COVID-19. Due to the success of Network Ryde we realised that our young people needed a larger venue so that we could respond to their needs, ambitions and vision.
“Young people have been at the heart of this development. We bought St. Thomas’s Church in January 2021 and this incredible Youth Investment Fund award now enables Ryde to fully implement our vision of an innovative Town Centre young people inspired youth centre.
The Youth Investment Fund is actively welcoming expressions of interest for youth service projects at any scale or stage of development for new/renewed facilities that will deliver positive outcomes for young people in selected eligible areas in England. Eligible youth service projects can apply now, with
