COUNCILLORS have supported plans for more youth services and events to be held in Wellington to support young people.

Charity manager Nick Harvey, from the In The Mix Project, met with members of Wellington Town Council’s community committee on Monday (September 15).

He reported that the charity had been out and about on Friday evenings in Wellington during the summer and had engaged with around 30 young people at Wellington Park, the skate park and in the town centre.

Mr Harvey, who said the ages ranged from seven years right up to those in their late teens, told councillors: “It’s been very positive.”

He explained that the project had worked well because they had been going out to meet the young people, rather than host designated events at the Kings Arms Community Hub, although a youth get-together at the hub in the High Street had proved extremely successful.

Councillors agreed to support the proposal for youth provision delivery by the In The Mix Project with costs allocated from the council’s community support services budget. This could cost nearly £18,000 for two two-hour youth club sessions for 40 weeks of the year.

It was also agreed to allow council officers to continue exploring extra long-term funding options to supplement and sustain youth services.

Cllr Justin Cole said: “This is a no-brainer – we have to support this.”

Cllr Mark Lithgow added: “What we are doing for young people is just a small drop in the ocean. More needs to be done nationally to support youth provision.”

Cllr Andrew Govier, who has been an interim chairman of the council’s community committee, encouraged the In The Mix Project to form a closer relationship with Court Fields School to assist with the “development of a well-rounded youth provision in “Wellington.”

A report showed that the In The Mix Project was proving successful and young people were supportive of it.

“We met a group of girls for the first time at a park in Wellington and explained our role and the work we are doing and we were having a chat and building relationships,” said the report.

“Later that same evening we bumped into them outside of Asda and they were being engaged by an older male. They sought us out for some support - silently voicing “help us” - and we provided an intervention with the girls; talking directly to them and asking questions about going into the store. “This was enough to move the gentlemen on, who appeared to have been drinking, away from the group.

“We then stayed with them to offer some support and advice and eventually walked them through town to a parent. We subsequently reported the incident via 101 to Avon and Somerset Police the same evening.”

Cllr Catherine Wiggins-Govier said: “Young people seem to be supporting this.”

Councillors also agreed to back providing youth services during the forthcoming October half-term holiday at a cost of £1,576.

Cllr Justin Cole said: “This is another no-brainer for us.”