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Loss of youth club triggers anti-social behaviour concerns
Tuesday 12noon WORRIES the lack of a youth club in the town will lead to an increase in anti-social behaviour from some of the young people of Market Rasen, has led to a call for all young people to have a 'constructive leisure time'.
The youth club, which is based at De Aston School, has been closed since March after key workers left and youth worker Sheila Bidmead moved to the new facility based at Caistor Yarborough School.
At the time, the boarding master at De Aston Steve Bunney said there had been 'an increasing number' of young people getting into trouble around the school campus and around the town because they had nowhere to go and, on one occasion, two girls waiting in vain for the club to open, were inadvertently locked into the school by a caretaker.
Tom McCartney of the Youth Offending Team, said they were working hand in hand with Children's Services to find a solution.
"The problem is getting staff," he said. "We need to try and find some volunteers to open it a few nights a week. We need to get everyone involved around the table unlike in the past, when everyone had their own agendas."
Mr McCartney said he wanted to give all young people a 'constructive leisure time'.
Town Mayor Burt Keimach said he had charitable funds available which he would happily use if it would help.
"I'm open to any suggestion to make the youth club more attractive to get volunteers down there," he said.
However, Market Rasen police chief, Inspector Rod Brant, said there had been no increase in reported anti-social behaviour since the youth club ceased to open.
Kim Gray, Senior Youth Development Worker, said: "Outreach work and consultations with young people have been taking place on Monday evenings to push forward with plans to get the centre re-opened once staff are in place.
"Following a recruitment evening held at the end of June and advertising for posts, short listing is happening today (Tuesday) and interviews will take place in the next two weeks.
"After appointing applicants and the necessary CRB checks, the centre will open as soon as possible. We are also re-establishing a multi-agency working group to tackle any problems of anti-social behaviour as this issue is not a single agency problem."
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Weather for Market Rasen
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
