Barn Youth Project

“Forty young people”, was the target set for the joint youth project between Peterborough City Council Youth Services and Werrington Parish Church (St John’s with Emmanuel). Within two weeks that target had been surpassed with contacts made with over 60 young people and 18 months later the project has made contact with over 150 young people. “We could see from the number of young people who were coming that this was really needed” said Werrington Parish Church’s Youth Worker Paul Slater who runs the project with Peterborough City Council Community Youth Worker Stuart Mathers.
Stuart approached the church in 2007 suggesting the joint project which began in February 2008. It takes place in the Barn, a building in the newer part of Werrington owned by Peterborough City Council and run by Werrington Parish Church. The partnership between Church and Council was a new thing. The two organisations are different but each wanted to have a positive input into young people’s lives; each brings something to the table to serve the community and young people of Werrington.
The project is a drop in centre for young people aged 13 and over which runs every Tuesday evening from 6.45pm to 9.15pm. There is various equipment including a pool table and board games and the onsite café provides tea, coffee,  soft drinks and plenty of toast! It has established for the young people a secure environment in which their real evidenced needs are met. “The Barn provides a safe place for young people to come where they can be who they are” says Paul. “They see it as their place”. The project is staffed by Stuart and Paul and volunteers from both Peterborough City Council and Werrington Parish Church.