About Future Youth Zone
Barking and Dagenham Youth Zone, named by young people as ‘Future’, is a purpose-built facility for the borough’s young people aged 8 – 19, and up to 25 for those with disabilities.
It is also be London’s first OnSide Youth Zone thanks to the support of project partners Barking and Dagenham Council, The Queen’s Trust and Jack Petchey Foundation.
The Youth Zone is located on Parsloes Park where Porters Avenue meets Gale Street and was officially opened to young people on 18th May.
This infrastructure of facilities is based upon OnSide Youth Zones 21st Century Youth Facility Model and young people from across Barking and Dagenham have access to all these fantastic facilities for a cost of £5 for an annual membership and 50p per visit.
The Youth Zone provides a safe environment where young people can come and enjoy themselves and will enable young people to raise their aspirations and confidence to create a happier and healthier generation.
Why Barking and Dagenham?
- Barking and Dagenham is ranked 3rd most deprived local authority in England (out of 326) in relation to the IMD 2015
- Barking and Dagenham has the 9th highest proportion of overweight & obese children in England at reception age – 26.8% and the 3rd highest for year 6 children at 42.2%
- Almost 1/3 of children in the borough live in low income families
- Notably, 1 in 10 adults are out of work in Barking & Dagenham – the highest unemployment rate of any London borough
- 37% of children live in poverty in Barking and Dagenham, 6th worst in London
- 53,700 young people aged 0-15, 21% of total population
- There are 64,000 0-19 year olds living in the borough
- Number of 10-14 year olds is predicted to increase by 30.7% by 2020, the largest increase for all age bands for the borough
Watch the vision for Youth Zones nationally below:
Creating The Brand
Barking and Dagenham Youth Zone unveiled its new brand identity of ‘Future’ back in March 2016, following extensive consultations involving over 2000 young people from the borough.
Developed to represent the values young people will attribute to their new Youth Zone, Future symbolises young people have an aim to succeed in the future. Read all about it here.
Young People of Barking and Dagenham
Throughout the whole development of Barking and Dagenham Youth Zone, we involve young people as much as possible; it’s their Youth Zone. Young people’s active participation and influence in areas of brand identity, transportation, fundraising and the interior design of the Youth Zone are fundamental to our approach. Our young people’s development group were integral in the planning of Future Youth Zone and were involved in every single stage, from coming up with the name to interviewing staff.
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