Centre takes to streets to help youths (From Warrington Guardian)

Centre takes to streets to help youths

A PROJECT has been launched at the Winsford Centre that will offer friendship and advice to young people who spend their evenings on the streets.

Volunteers from the centre on Cheviot Square will go out and meet with young people in Winsford and talk to them about issues that concern them.

They hope the initiative will cut down on anti social behaviour.

Neil Garratt, member of the Oxygen project, said: "We will sit down and have a chat with them while they are out.

"There are some great kids in Winsford who just need a little bit of encouragement, so we need to get out there."

Mr Garratt believes by working with the older children he will be able to influence many young people in the area.

He said: "Every peer group has a leader so if we can talk to them then a lot of the time the others will follow.

"Once they start to get to know and trust us then I think we could really start to make a difference.

"It is important that there is someone that they can speak to who isn't a policeman, parent or other figure of authority.

"We will be able to talk to them and offer them advice on things that are troubling them.

"This will have a positive impact on the lives of the young people as well as the lives of people living in the community.

"We need to give these kids something to do and get them involved in activities because kids in Winsford get a bad reputation that I don't think they deserve.

"I just want to highlight the work that we are doing and make sure people know that there are good young people in our town."

phennessey@guardiangrp.co.uk