A vibrant and welcoming new space for young people in Hartlepool

Young people are celebrating the newly renovated Rossmere Youth Centre, affectionately known as the Rozzy. The centre serves young people aged 13-19 and has been completely modernised by Hartlepool Borough Council thanks to a £1.27m Youth Investment Fund grant. It’s a vibrant and welcoming space that has been developed in partnership with young people.

The new-look space is airy and light, and full of colourful artwork created by local young people. It’s somewhere that they can identify with and have a real sense of ownership.

Over 100 young people were joined by Council staff and dignitaries, Hartlepool MP Jonathan Brash and members of the local community, for a celebratory evening of fun, food and the fantastic activities offered at the Rossmere Centre. As well as showcasing the new facilities, the event challenged outdated stereotypes about youth clubs being “just pool and table tennis.” Everyone had a real taste of the wide range of opportunities on offer – from arts and crafts and sports to work on the issues that matter to young people including consultation and life skills development.

A plaque has pride of place and sums up the ethos of the Rossmere Youth Centre as “a place dedicated to empowering young people and building a brighter tomorrow.”

Young people were joined by Councillor Melanie Morley, Chair of Hartlepool Borough Council’s Children’s Services Committee.

Councillor Melanie Morley, Chair of Hartlepool Borough Council’s Children’s Services Committee added:

“Rossmere Youth Centre is now a vibrant, welcoming space where they can learn, grow and thrive – and we want the whole community to come and see it for themselves. It’s a fantastic moment for Hartlepool’s young people. They played a key role in shaping the vision for the new centre, and the result is a marvellous, inspiring place that truly reflects their needs and aspirations.”

The new-look Rossmere Youth Centre includes:

• A fully refurbished sports hall.

• A stylish new coffee bar and social space.

• A dedicated training kitchen for cooking and budgeting skills.

• A brand-new emotional wellbeing space for one-to-one support.

The Council’s Youth Services team worked closely with young people to develop the successful funding bid, ensuring the improvements reflect what matters most to them.

Find out more about Hartlepool’s Youth Services