West View Project Children and Young People’s Activity Centre – new minibus means more fun trips for more young people
“The new minibus is really good because now we can all go places together. Before, some people couldn’t come, but now everyone gets a chance.”
West View Project Children and Young People’s Activity Centre established for almost 30 years in the West View area of Hartlepool, provides opportunities to children from underserved areas. The charity’s main aim is to improve the quality of life and aspirations of children, and a new minibus from Better Youth Spaces means more young people can go on trips they wouldn’t be able to experience otherwise.
Claire Blanchard, Deputy Children’s service Manager, explains: “We deliver Forest and Beach school sessions during holiday periods which are invaluable to the children we work with, seeing children amazed by what they can find in the outdoors from worms in the ground to starfish in the sea is a wonder to witness. The natural environment can have a profound effect on children’s resilience, wellbeing and mental health.
“They tell us by taking part in these activities they learn how to be comfortable in this setting and that without the youth centre they would have nowhere safe to play potentially resulting in low level criminal activity or being victims of this, spending time inside on screens and not seeing friends.”
The Better Youth Spaces grant for the minibus will make a significant difference to the children and young people at West View Project Children and Young People’s Activity Centre. The vehicle will remove major transport barriers, allowing more young people to access trips, learning opportunities, outdoor activities and community events that were previously difficult to reach. It will also help ensure that sessions are more inclusive, safe and varied, giving every young person the chance to take part fully in the project’s programme and benefit from new experiences.
“Receiving funding for a new minibus is a huge boost for our children and young people. Reliable transport means we can offer more trips, more learning opportunities and more experiences that inspire confidence and broaden horizons. Most importantly, it ensures every young person—regardless of their circumstances—can take part fully in what we do. We’re incredibly grateful to the Better Youth Spaces fund for helping us make our programmes even more inclusive and accessible.” Rebecca Ferguson, Children’s Services Manager
“The new minibus is really good because now we can all go places together. Before, some people couldn’t come, but now everyone gets a chance. We can do more fun trips and activities, and it makes coming to the centre even better.” 15-year-old, supported by West View Project Children and Young People’s Activity Centre
“I like the new bus because we can all go together. It takes us to the forest and we have fun there. We get to see trees and play, and I’m happy I can go with my friends.” 5-year-old supported by West View Project Children and Young People’s Activity Centre