Oldham charity to begin welcoming back young people

Oldham youth charity Mahdlo Youth Zone has announced plans to step up face-to-face support measures for local young people as government lockdown restrictions continue to ease.

Following the release of the latest government-approved guidance on how youth centres can safely reopen, the Egerton Street charity says it will step up their delivery of face-to-face youth work to ensure more of Oldham's young people and families receive the support they need.

From Monday (13 July), Mahdlo will be opening its doors for limited numbers of young people who would benefit most from regular, face-to-face engagement with youth workers on an invite only basis. The charity say it will be reviewed and adapted as government guidelines are updated.

It says that strict capacity management, social distancing and hygiene measures will be in place that are in line with guidance from the government, Public Health England, the NHS, Health and Safety Executive and wider stakeholders including Oldham Council.

The charity also say it will stagger and rotate attendance to maintain safe capacity levels, increase outdoor activities where possible and limit the amount of time young people spend at the Youth Zone.

The changes have been announced following recent guidance endorsed by the government from national body for youth work, the National Youth Agency (NYA).

During the lockdown, the charity has instead made more than 300 visits to members' homes and provided remote support online and via telephone calls in groups, as well as one-to-one sessions with every single one of their 4,000+ members. 

It was part of its 'Youth Zone at Home' offering, which will continue for the foreseeable future as well as the virtual support to help young people digitally via social media.

Lucy Lees, Deputy Chief Executive at Mahdlo Youth Zone, said: “At the start of the coronavirus crisis, we pivoted our delivery model to ensure local youngsters could still gain vital access to trusted, professional youth workers remotely.

“With many young people still out of school and education, Mahdlo will play an even more crucial role in helping them to readjust to socialising, travelling and getting back into a routine.

“Youth services are an essential part of helping a generation of young people that stand to be hit hardest by the economic, social, health and mental wellbeing implications of the crisis for many years to come.

“Achieving this whilst protecting the health and wellbeing of young people, employees, volunteers and the wider community is our primary focus. We will not cut corners when it comes to delivering the best for our young people. We will not give up on supporting our community in any way we can.

“All plans will be closely monitored and may adjust in response to internal and external factors, so we will continue to keep the community updated via our website and social media, where we have also included some responses to frequently asked questions.”