THE exciting project to create a youth café for teenagers in Tavistock took a big leap forward last week with the official launch of the scheme?s business plan ? and a welcome financial boost.
The £236,000 project is being developed by Tavistock Youth Council. Its secretary, Bethan Waddington, told launch guests the council?s aim was to ?put young people in the driving seat? and find out what they wanted ? not what adults thought they wanted.
She said a youth café was identified as a key need, following a youth appraisal carried out in conjunction with WestDEN.
Bethan said: ?Our vision is achieve a safe, fun and friendly youth café that is non-discriminatory and self-sustaining and that young people want to visit on a regular basis.?
Youth council member Ollie Burrows said various sites were visited by the steering group set up to research the project, including Court Gate Cottage and the old Piano Centre on Plymouth Road.
But the site chosen as the best option was a piece of land behind Youthwize in Pixon Lane, on which a portable cabin could be erected.
The project is being developed with support from organisations, including WestDEN, the borough council, West Devon Community Safety Partnership, Tavistock and Villages Initiative (TAVI) and Devon County Council.
Mr Burrows said that ultimately the youth café should be financially self-sustaining. Income was likely to come from four sources: sale of food and drink; sub-letting of space to other youth-related groups; grants and ?in kind? contributions and the hire of the café facilities. Strict rules would be enforced regarding smoking and alcohol.
Cllr Peter Hill, community safety partnership chairman, delighted the youth council with the offer of a £6,000 grant.
Cllr Hill, mayor of West Devon, said: ?I am absolutely delighted that the young people have produced this business plan and obviously I wish them every success.
?If they go forward with this themselves, there is an even better chance it will survive and go on to thrive from year to year.?
Anne Johnson, district youth support worker, said: ?It?s definitely going to happen now. We?re hoping to get it up and running, certainly by the end of the year.
?We?ve got money coming in, we?ve got a big application in to Children in Need, we?ve just had this £6,000 ? it?s all happening, we?re very determined and we?ve got a tremendous steering group.?
Cllr Mandy Govier, West Devon Borough Council?s youth spokesman, said: ?I think this is brilliant, because there?s absolutely nowhere for youngsters to go in town.
?They?ve addressed all the issues, they?ve written to the residents to let them know what?s going on, they?ve held meetings, taken their comments on board ? they?ve done wonderfully.?
Cllr Norma Woodcock, mayor of Tavistock, said: ?I think this project shows enormous enterprise and enthusiasm and the youngsters are to be commended for their progress.
?They are obviously working very well as a team ? I thought their presentation was excellent.?
Cllr Woodcock said the youth café idea was very exciting and had potential to be a ?huge benefit? to Tavistock ? she looked forward to the youth council meeting the town council in March when it would consider how it could help the project further.
In researching the project, steering group members visited other similar set-ups in the South West, consulted professionals and carried out site visits.
They also gathered extensive supportive evidence for the need for a youth café from national, county and borough policy documents.