December 02, 2007 - 9:19 p.m.

Yesterday (Saturday 1st December 2007) I visited Centre XI, the Youth Club for Castleford. The centre was celebrating its 35th anniversary.
I was told there will be a giant wordsearch on Monday; a challenge for the young people. I asked about the extended school provision.
The centre is just on the grounds of the High School and provides a base for extended school activity for secondary school pupils from 3pm to 6 pm each weekday. At the moment it is using a grant but will eventually have to become self-financing. Most grants are intended to be kick start rather than to finance the project forever.
Although the centre is close to the High School there was little take up. One reason given was that it costs £1 per hour. Another is that when the school re-designed it reception area, pupils were forbidden to use it. As this was the exit closest to the centre, pupils leaving the school for the centre have to exit the school at the other side and walk down the main road, a walk that takes ten to fifteen minutes.
I often hear calls for activities for young people but when they are provided it can fall because of lack of enthusiasm or funding. £1 per hour sounds cheap but that equates to £15 per week for each child. A lot of families, especially the ones that need help, cannot afford that. That figure is subsidised by the grant. What will it be when the grant runs out?

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