ABOVE: Julia Valentin: Breathing life back into the Youth Centre.
By KIERAN FINNANE
The Youth Centre on Wills Terrace looks uninviting from the front – high cyclone wire fence, security screen right around the front building – but it has a committed board of volunteers running it, a new friendly youth worker, and some great facilities.
Where else can young people play pool for free? Or do a workout for free? Or just hang out together without being asked to move on?
“The kids know it’s there, but they think it’s never open,” says president Marie Petery.
“I was at the recent youth forum and what did they say they wanted – a youth centre in the middle of town, with pool tables, table tennis, where they can go with no charge. That’s what we’ve got!
“But it needs a new face.”
The board has applied for the second time for capital works funding from the Department of Sport and Recreation (they were knocked back last year).
Their plans are to open up the centre at the front with decking, so that kids can walk into the “teenage room” straight off the street.
Sport and Rec has a limit of $50,000 for capital works and the board’s plans need at least $100,000.
If successful with the first application, they’ll go to the Federal Government for the rest, says Ms Petery.
This amount would not take care of the other repair and maintenance requirements.
“The whole place needs a coat of paint and there are cracks in the hall – you’re talking about a 50 year old building.
“Our canteen and the kitchen in the hall also need upgrades to bring them up to scratch with health regulations,” says Ms Petery.
The facility is “owned by the community”. If you’re a Youth Centre member (for a mere $10 a year) “you’re a part-owner”.
It’s on land leased from the NT Government for 99 years. Beyond the physical upgrade, the centre also needs more paid staff.
At present Julia Valentin is the only staff member but the board is hopeful of engaging another if funding comes through.
But to get the centre operating at full capacity and staying open later at night it needs three staff, says Ms Petery.
It has been able to stay open largely thanks to the volunteers who run the various structured activities – gymnastics, various martial arts, boxing. At present hours are 1pm to 7.30pm.
Julia, originally from Germany where she trained and worked as a youth worker, is focussing on the teenage room.
She’s dubbed it the Cool Cats’ Cafe but recognises that it’s not very funky or cosy.
She plans to turn it into a more welcoming hangout for young people aged 13 to 19, and has a donation of $300 to make a start.
“I’ve been told this place used to be buzzing – that’s what I want to get happening,” she says.
During the school holidays she’s promoting the cafe as a hangout from 2pm to 4.30pm, Monday to Thursday, and on Fridays to 5pm.
There’s a sound system (youth can bring their own CDs); board games; magazines; the canteen.
They can watch a movie, and Julia will open up the well-equipped gyms if they feel like a workout.
Outdoors there’s a roller-blading area, a basketball court and a trampoline.
And indoors a number of studios for the different physical activities as well as the hall, which is sometimes used for concerts.
The centre is a place to be if young people don’t want to be at home, says Julia, and much better than them being on the streets.
It offers the opportunity of being social and entertained, while Julia is there as a point of contact if they need help in any way.
Julia’s approach is low-key, friendly, respectful: “If you show them respect, they show respect for you.”
While there was no-one using the facilities when the Alice News was there, there had been groups in through the week, 10 earlier that day, eight the day before, mainly boys in their mid teens.
Julia hopes they’ll spread the word.