Solihull Council is extending the hours of the Solihull Youth Bus from 20 July, taking the service into seven new neighbourhoods across the borough.
The expanded programme will provide safe spaces and extra hours of youth work, delivering creative activities directly to young people who might not otherwise have access to youth clubs.
More than 400 young people aged 11 to 17 have already attended over 100 hours of workshops on the Youth Bus, trying activities including graffiti art, film making and aerial hoop, as part of a programme run in partnership with Streets Studios and the Meriden Adventure Playground Association.
For the past year, the bus has been stationed three times a week in Chelmsley Wood and Marston Green. Under the new extended hours, the Solihull Youth Bus will be on the road throughout the whole week, travelling further afield into Blythe Valley, Castle Bromwich, Cheswick Green, Dickens Heath, Kingshurst, Shirley and Smith’s Wood.
Councillor Wazma Qais, Cabinet Member for Communities at Solihull Council, said the Youth Bus was already a popular and well used service, and that the extended hours would enable the council to reach even more young people across the borough.
She said the bus provided a safe, welcoming space where young people could build friendships, develop confidence and feel connected to their local community, whether through learning new skills, accessing support and guidance, or simply spending time with trusted youth workers, adding that services like this could have a lasting positive impact on a young person’s wellbeing and future opportunities.
Councillor Qais said the council was committed to ensuring young people had access to the support, activities and opportunities they need to thrive, and that the investment would help it continue to make a real difference in their lives.
For further information and calendar dates, visit www.streetsstudio.co.uk.
Main Image: For illustration purposes
