Petworth youth centre sees huge boom in numbers — and has a lot more to offer

The Sylvia Beaufoy Centre has seen a huge uptake in young people using its services. The youth community centre has been providing its unique service to young people in Petworth and surround villages for more than 50 years and last year, this newspaper reported on the centre going from strength to strength.

Following the Covid pandemic the uptake from young people appears to have followed the same trajectory. Thanks to this boom in numbers, the centre is also able to offer more of its services.

Dan Sneller, senior youth and community development manager, said: ““The club has gone from strength to strength over the last 18 months. We have lots going on and we want to make sure that we are not missing anyone.

"We’ve got lots going on. The club has got really really busy which is really good. When we were just coming out the other side of the first part of Covid we had about 150 young people coming in in a term, which is three months.

"Since then we have now got more than 240 young people registered which is huge. From June until now we have had a footfall of about 3,000 so it’s really going very well.

"We want to make sure we are reaching as many young people as we can and we have got quite a range.”

The centres weekly services now include:

Mondays – Senior drop in social for ages 11 to 19 drop in from 6:30pm to 9pm (free)Tuesdays – Youth Café for ages 11 to 19, drop in from 4pm to 6pmTuesdays – Evolve junior social for school years 5 and 6 from 6:30pm to 9pm – booking essentialWednesdays – Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award for school year 9 and above from 6pm to 7:30pm – booking essentialWednesdays – Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Award for school years 10 and above from 7:30pm to 9pm – booking essentialWednesdays – Greenpower racing project for ages 11 to 16 from 6:30pm to 9pm – booking essentialThursdays – Mountain biking for ages 11 to 19 from 4pm (or when you get off the school bus) to 6pm – Booking recommended.Thursdays – X-hale. Our brand new ‘chill out’ zone. For secondary school ages only. Drop in from 4pm to 6pm.

Dan added: “In addition to this we have The employment project. twice a year we go to a local business to experience what they do and hear from others within the town.

"There is always some food involved. If you like what you see / hear, you could end up with a Saturday job…. Our next one is on the September 29 from 6pm to 9pm for school years 9 and above – booking is essential.”