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The first ever myplace project which launches today marks a major milestone in the Government’s £270 million programme to deliver world-class youth facilities across the country. Minister for Children and Young People, Dawn Primarolo, will welcome local young people into the new state of the art building in Norwich called OPEN.

Minister for Children and Young People, Dawn Primarolo said:

Creating world-class places for young people to go to in their leisure time has now become a reality across the country. OPEN is the first of many myplace projects to open its door to young people. This is another important milestone in delivering the Government’s commitment to making this the best country in the world for our children to grow up in.

At myplace facilities, young people will have the chance to take part in exciting activities, offering a real alternative to hanging around on the street. It will mean young people can socialise with each other in a safe environment, to gain new skills, and to get any support and advice they need on issues that are important to them.

Young people have been central to the decisions on myplace projects like OPEN because we believe in their creative talent. They are the best people to design and plan the places their generation and future generations will want to attend and enjoy after school and at weekends – particularly on Friday and Saturday nights.

I am especially pleased that myplace projects will be incorporating a range of new digital technologies, cultural, multi-media, performing arts and sporting activities – a stark contrast to youth clubs with dusty halls where the only activities on offer are pool or table tennis.

myplace centres are truly youth driven and youth focused venues – designed and built in consultation with young people from the local community. The Norwich OPEN centre is a fantastic example of how young people’s views and ideas have helped create a safe space with world-class facilities and activities for young people to enjoy.

Typical of all myplace centres, OPEN will provide access to an exciting range of activities in a safe and welcoming environment. The facilities reflect what young people have asked for to make the youth centre their own space.

At the launch the minister will tour the new centre and see first hand the activities on offer for young people. These include sessions on Norfolk’s highest climbing wall run by ex-armed forces Major Phil Packer and skateboarding lessons by Sam Beckett, champion skateboarder and Norwich native.

Rob, 18, one of the young people involved in the creation of OPEN said:

I  was part of the group that looked at the building plans, did fundraisers, chose the furniture and learned a lot about charity work. The OPEN project’s awesome and it should inspire other cities to do similar projects.

This enthusiasm and excitement is shared by Russ Dacre, Project Director of OPEN who said:

It’s been very exciting to go so quickly from nothing to where we are today. myplace has helped us deliver an amazing venue for the young people of Norfolk; we’re delighted to be blazing the trail for all the other myplace centres that will be launched in coming years.

Also today, the design concepts for 12 additional myplace centres will be unveiled and celebrated at an event in London attended by the Minister and hosted by Radio 1’s Ras Kwarme. The Sorrell Foundation – an organisation that inspires creativity in young people has brought some of the UK’s leading professionals - including top designers, architects and branding experts – together with the young people planning myplace projects across the country, to develop some truly world class design concepts.

Sir John Sorrell said:

The Sorrell Foundation has been delighted to be involved in the myplace programme. By bringing in top designers and architects to work with youngpeople as clients, we have seen some wonderful concepts and ideas created through the activities we have supported. As with other programmes the Foundation works on the insight, ideas, energy and creativity of young people who have come to the fore, and it is this that we are celebrating here today in London, as we look forward to the creation of these new world-class youth facilities.

myplace is being delivered on behalf of DCSF by the BIG Fund, the non-lottery funding operation of the Big Lottery Fund.

Sanjay Dighe, Chair of England Committee at the Big Lottery Fund said:

We are extremely pleased to be involved with myplace and to be using our expertise in distributing non-lottery funding to make world-class youth facilities like OPEN a reality. We believe that the central role that young people have in funding decisions, concept and design of the projects themselves and in their future is going to be the key to its success. OPEN works with young people in Norwich to make sure that it offers the activities that young people want to do.

Sir Steve Redgrave CBE and myplace Ambassador said:

myplace is responding to what young people say they want and I’m really proud to be part of an initiative that puts young people at the centre of everything. They want places to go and things to do. The OPEN project in Norwich will be a hub for a wide range of exciting, positive and challenging activities – whether it is art, music, dance or simply a place to be with other like minded people.

Speaking at the launch, Major Phil Packer said:

It is my mission to support young people with disabilities. If I can enthuse young people in general to try sports, challenge themselves and push the boundaries, then I am making the best of my life. I recognise that inspiration and passion comes from many areas of our society and myplace understands and provides this through a wide range of activities including sport, music and the arts. As a myplace ambassador, I hope I assist in facilitating a wider knowledge of the superb opportunities on offer. This is about improving quality of life and giving something back.

Anne Longfield OBE, Chief Executive of 4Children said:

This is a great day for young people in Norwich! During our Make Space Youth Consultation, thousands of young people told us that they wanted better places to go and exciting things to do. I’m delighted to see the myplace agenda moving forward and delivering the quality of services our young people deserve and need. The focus now must be on keeping the momentum going and taking these life altering services to young people in every community.

Further information

The OPEN project refurbished a listed building into a meeting place for young people. Facilities now include a live music venue, theatre, conference and other arts-based activities, a young people's nightclub, climbing wall, educational kitchen and café, music recording studios and video editing suites, plus a dance and performing arts space, health centre and education space with computers. The project will target young people aged 13 to 25 years.

The Government’s total investment in myplace stands at £272 million – £240 million of which has been awarded to 62 projects across the country. The projects successful in securing the final £32 million will be announced before the end of the year. Every project will be driven by the active participation of young people and their views and needs - putting young people in the lead to make decisions about the design of their new building and the facilities and services that will take place within them.

All myplace projects will be open a times that young people want, including on Friday and Saturday nights offering a wide range of high quality activities and opportunities and access to information, advice and guidance on issues that are important to young people - ranging from sexual health or careers to starting a social enterprise

myplace requires all projects to be delivered in cross-sector partnership between local authorities and the third and private sectors. This is maximising local community ownership and private sector support, while ensuring the strategic involvement of the local public sector.

The Sorrell Foundation was introduced to the myplace programme by the Talent & Enterprise Taskforce. It is a not-for-profit organisation set up in 1999 to inspire creativity in young people and improve the quality of life through good design. The Sorrell Foundation has pioneered innovative approaches to empowering young people as active participants in the design process.

The Sorrell Foundation has worked with 15 of the 41 projects that were funded through the myplace standard track. A group of young people are given control and responsibility to act as the ‘client team’ for each project. The Sorrell Foundation established a creative team of top professionals who worked with the young client team to develop branding and design concepts that respond fully to their needs and aspirations.

Hudson Architects was the lead design consultant on OPEN Norwich. Hudson Architects is an award-winning London and Norwich based architectural practice, founded by Anthony Hudson. The design scheme for OPEN Norwich makes creative use of a redundant banking hall by transforming it in to a lively hub that will be integral to the success of OPEN.

The next myplace centres to open across England are:

• New Horizon Youth Centre, Camden, January 2010
• My Place Chesterfield, February 2010
• The Young Persons Village, Stoke-on-Trent, March 2010
• The Salmon Youth Centre Phase 2, Southwark, April 2010
• Shoeburyness Youth Centre, Southend-on-Sea, May 2010
• Minehead EYE, Minehead, Somerset, May 2010
• Primetime, Bournemouth, May 2010
• Access all Areas Bridgewater, Somerset, June 2010
• Dawlish Integrated Youth Centre, Devon, June 2010.