Merkinch youth club provision in need of radical re-think

MERKINCH Youth Club WILL reopen for seniors, the Community Education department have promised – they just can’t say when.

“There have been problems due to a lack of youth workers, said Community Education Officer Mike Wallace. “We suddenly lost two or three – Kath Finlay went and Karen Mc-Graw was temporarily promoted up to Easter Ross for the next six months. We came to the conclusion that we could not run the senior club safely.”

Asked about when a replacement would be found that would allow the senior club to open again Mr Wallace said, “It could take a few weeks, unfortunately.”

“We are too thin on the ground,” he admits, “and youth workers are not interchangeable.”

Mr Wallace went on to say that they had been struggling with the staffing situation for some years and that working with young people could be very stressful.

“Ideally we would like to try to fund some full-time staff.”

The Community Education department is well aware that short-sighted savings on youth workers could cost the community more in the long run in terms of police, vandalism and general quality of life, if teenagers are left hanging about the streets.

“The whole point of Community Education work with young people is to help prevent that kind of situation,” he said.

While within the Merkinch community itself there is agreement that the senior youth club provision has to be restored, there is a range of opinion about the best way to go forward.

Volunteers who feel able to keep going until new staff is appointed are upset for those who have recently paid their membership – at the club’s busiest time of year. “This is a community centre, yet we’re saying the kids can’t come in,” said Winton Wilson, who has been a member, volunteer and part-time youth worker with the club for 15 years. “The kids’ll get a bad name, hanging around street corners.”

Parents, too, are also concerned. One told News & Views, “I just think it’s a shame for the kids. You knew where they were and they were able to take part in all these activities.

“The kids felt the club was the only place that was safe – my son loved going and it really was the highlight of his week.”

A glimmer of hope emerges from the situation: all agree that it would be worth considering some radical new ways of delivering youth club provision in the future.