Press releases 2007

£10,000 cash boost for The Junction

4th July 2007

The Junction in Andover is hoping to reach even more young people thanks to a cash boost.

The centre, run by Alabaré Christian Care Centres alongside Hampshire County Youth Service, has been officially registered as a UK Online Centre.  The new status meant they were able to apply for additional funding to help with providing their online services.  The team has been awarded £10,000 and is hopefully to secure even more over the next three years.

The Junction, which forms part of the Test Valley Foyer, gives 13-25 year olds a safe space where they can use Internet Café facilities and access information, advice, guidance and development on a variety of issues including housing, education and health.  It also has a number of meeting rooms and training facilities that can be hired out by the public when the young people are not using them.

They provide a wide range of online support including courses and workshops dealing with the issues surrounding homelessness, youth offending, anti-social behaviour, sexual health, education and employment.  They also provide one-to-one support in addition to signposting service users to other external agencies and professionals and encourage them to help themselves using the Internet.

The £10,000 grant will enable The Junction to carry on providing these vital online services and look at ways of developing and improving them to suit the needs of the young people using the centre.  They have already bought a new laptop so that anyone wanting to work more quietly can do so from a quieter part of the building.  The money will also pay for new software and materials.

It is hoped that the work produced by the young people taking the courses will be used help other service users dealing with the same issues.

Andy Hunter from The Junction said “We are absolutely delighted to be officially registered as a UK Online Centre and to have been awarded £10,000.  It means that we can carry on doing what we do best – supporting young people, encourage them to become more independent and help them realise their potential.  It also means that we can look at ways of developing our services to meet the changing needs of young people living in the Test Valley.”

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For more information or to arrange an interview call Lara Higgins on 01722 344484

Alabaré Christian Care Centres is a regional charity, providing a range of services including supported housing, floating support services, drop-in centres, information, advice and training services and a registered care home.  The charity works with the homeless, ex-offenders, young people, individuals with a learning difficulty, vulnerable women and people with drug and alcohol problems, aiming to assist them with realising their potential and becoming valued members of society.

www.alabare.co.uk

For more information about the Test Valley Foyer go to: www.testvalleyfoyer.hampshire.org.uk

For information about room hire at The Junction and to book online go to:

www.roomsformeetings.net/andover.