Youth Offer

Here in Knowsley, we are working with the Merseyside Youth Association (MYA) to deliver a range of youth services and activities.

MYA has been supporting young people in our region for more than 130 years, and with their support, we hope to make a positive difference to the lives of children and young people and the communities they live in.

Their work in Knowsley includes:

• Detached Youth Work where specialist Youth workers engage with young people in their communities and out on the streets
• Intensive 1-1 Mentoring and support programmes for children and young people aged 11- 18 (25 with SEND)
• Empowering and supporting young people to have their voices heard and influence change
• Provision of specialist health workers to work with schools and clinics

Further updates are provided on the MYA’s website – find out what’s happening and when here.

In 2022 Knowsley Council established the Youth Community Fund – a dedicated annual fund that community groups could bid for to deliver engaging youth activities and projects across Knowsley. Community Groups were able to bid for funding up to the value of £5,000 and so far more than £129,000 has been allocated across the borough to support a range of projects. These include activities after school, during the evening and at weekends.

There’s a range of activities available from arts, bootcamps, football and boxing coaching through to gaming workshops, drama and dance groups. There’s also activities for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), a number of the activities are free but please check with the provider to confirm.

You can find out what’s on here.

‘Our Place’ in Huyton is a purpose-built youth facility that acts as a base for the Merseyside Youth Association in Knowsley. From Our Place they are able to provide a ‘Youth Hub’ for children and young people, with a range of services and support all under one roof.

Referrals to the various services differ for each intervention/ project. If you would like to hear more about a project or to discuss a referral, please email knowsley@mya.org.uk or call 0151 203 9609.

In addition, the facilities on offer at Our Place are also available to book for community groups and other organisations and individuals. This includes conference facilities, dance studio/ gym, climbing walls, skate park, 1-1/ counselling rooms. To make a booking enquiry please email RyanF@mya.org.uk or call 0151 203 9609.

The Dam outdoor education centre is based on the Knowsley Hall Estate and is a fantastic facility, in a beautiful setting, where participants can experience a range of water and land based activities including canoeing, stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, archery slack lining and much more.

These facilities are available for hire to schools and community groups as well for private bookings. For further information please email
RyanF@mya.org.uk or call 0151 203 9609.

The Prince’s Trust Team Programme is a 12-week course run at fire stations across Merseyside for young people aged 16 to 25 who are not in employment or education.

It aims to develop young people’s skills to strengthen their job prospects. During the course they complete a week-long residential stay, a four-week community project and two weeks’ work experience.

Teams of young people on the course also raise money for the community project which they complete during the course.

Teams currently operate from Bootle and Netherton Community Fire Station, Prescot Community Fire Station and Wallasey Community Fire Station.

If you are unemployed and uncertain of your future, then the Prince’s Trust Team Programme could be for you. You can find out more information here.

You can also call 0151 296 4000 or email youthengagementteam@merseysidefire.gov.uk

Knowsley’s Youth Cabinet is a group of local young people who come together to represent the views of young people aged 11-18 in Knowsley. They consider and discuss issues that are important to young people and link into a national network – the Youth Parliament – who meet MPs and local councillors, make speeches, hold events and try to ensure the voice of young people is heard by decision makers.

If you are a young person in Knowsley who wants to make a difference, get involved and have your voice heard then we would love to hear from you.

Please contact Helen on 0151 443 5323.