The brand new youth centre bringing affordable and exciting opportunities for young people

In early 2025, a new chapter for Salford’s young people will unfold with the much-anticipated opening of Salford Youth Zone (SYZ), a groundbreaking initiative that promises to provide a safe, exciting space for the city’s youth.

Built on the foundation of community support, SYZ will be much more than your average community centre, owners say it is a transformative hub aimed at unlocking the potential of young people, offering them endless opportunities to thrive.

Scheduled to be completed by late April, this state-of-the-art facility promises to be a haven for young people across Salford, offering them a safe space, a wealth of opportunities, and, most importantly, a place to thrive.

Salford Youth Zone

At the heart of the project is Adam Farricker, CEO of Empower Youth Zones, the charity responsible for overseeing the new Salford Youth Zone as well as the successful Hideout Youth Zone in East Manchester.

With over two decades of experience in youth work, Adam brings a deep understanding of the challenges faced by young people and a relentless passion for creating environments that help them reach their full potential.

“Salford Youth Zone is going to be transformative,” Adam stated.

“We’re not just building a youth club, we’re building a space that will serve as a hub of creativity, learning, and support for thousands of young people who desperately need it.”

Learning from Hideout in Gorton

The success of the Hideout Youth Zone in Gorton, East Manchester, has laid the groundwork for what Adam and his team hope to replicate in Salford.

Since its opening in 2020, Hideout has seen over 8,000 young people walk through its doors — showing a huge demand for safe, enriching environments for young people in underserved communities.

“When we opened Hideout, it was in the middle of the pandemic,” Adam recalled.

“It was a crazy time, but what that showed us was just how much the young people needed a place like this. Despite everything, we had a huge turnout from day one.”

The need for such spaces is particularly evident in cities like Manchester and Salford, where youth services have been drastically cut over the years.

“Back in 2010, Manchester disbanded its statutory youth service, and since then, there’s been very little in terms of provision for young people,” Adam explained.

“We’ve been surviving on small pots of funding, but it’s never enough, especially in areas like Gorton or Longsight.”

The numbers speak for themselves.

In just three years, Hideout Youth Zone has had a monumental impact, not only on young people but also on the wider community.

“We’ve created countless employment and volunteering opportunities,” Adam said.

“It’s not just about giving young people something to do; it’s about helping to uplift the entire community.”

What will Salford Youth Zone offer?

Salford Youth Zone is set to mirror the success of Hideout, but with an even more ambitious vision.

The centre will be open seven days a week, offering a wide array of activities and programs for young people aged 8 to 19, and up to 25 for those with additional needs.

The offerings range from music, arts, and fashion to sports, cooking, and employability training.

“We’re not just providing entertainment, we’re giving young people real skills,” Adam said.

“There’s a climbing wall, a boxing gym, a multimedia room, and even a training kitchen where young people can learn important life skills like cooking and nutrition.”

In addition to activities, the Youth Zone will provide critical support services, including advice on health and well-being, bullying, identity, and employability.

There’s also a café where young people can receive hot meals.

At Hideout, the team realised early on that food poverty was a significant issue in the community, and as a result, they now provide meals for free.

“It started off as charging a pound for a meal,” Adam shared, “but we quickly realised that in areas like Gorton and Salford, hunger is an issue all year round.

“So we made the decision to offer meals at no cost. Last year, at Hideout, we provided over 20,000 hot meals.”

Affordable access for all

One of the most striking aspects of the Youth Zone model is its affordability.

For just £5 a year, young people can register as members, and every visit costs just 50p.

“For 50p, they can come in, engage in any activity they want, and stay for the whole evening,” Adam said.

“We want to make sure that cost is never a barrier to accessing these services.”

This approach ensures that the Youth Zone remains accessible to young people from all backgrounds, particularly those living in areas of high deprivation.

According to Adam, the national average for children living below the poverty line is around 29%.

In Manchester, that figure rises to 46%, and in Salford, it’s 42%. However, in areas like Pendleton, where the new Youth Zone is being built, that number skyrockets to 70%.

“Two-thirds of the young people we’ll be supporting in Salford are living below the poverty line,” Adam noted.

“For them, having somewhere safe to go, something positive to do, and someone trusted to talk to is absolutely crucial.”

How will Salford Youth Zone look in five years?

While the Youth Zone is expected to have an immediate impact, Adam is also thinking long-term.

“Success, for me, is that in five years’ time, Salford Youth Zone is financially sustainable, still open seven days a week, and still offering the same level of high-quality services,” he said.

“We want to become the go-to charity for young people in both Salford and Manchester.”

In its first year, Salford Youth Zone is expected to attract around 3,500 new members and see 1,000 weekly visits.

But the team is focused on more than just numbers. They hope to see many of the young people who join in the first year come back in future years as volunteers or even staff members.

“We’re creating a real family network here,” Adam said.

“These kids have so much potential, and we want to be there to help them realise it.”

Creating a community

One of the key elements in ensuring the long-term success of the Youth Zone is the involvement of local businesses and organisations.

To that end, the Empower team has launched the Founder Patron Campaign, which aims to secure 35 founder patrons to cover around 70% of the charity’s annual costs.

“Running a Youth Zone like this costs about £1.6 million a year,” Adam explains. “With Hideout and Salford combined, we’re looking at a £3.5 million annual turnover. It’s a huge challenge, but we’re confident that with the support of the local community and businesses, we can achieve it.”

A project born out of generosity

The Salford Youth Zone project would not have been possible without the generosity of local businessman Fred Done, who made a personal donation of £7 million to kickstart the development.

Fred, who also donated £6 million to the Hideout Youth Zone in Gorton, has been instrumental in bringing this vision to life.

“Fred has been with us from day one,” Adam said.

“He told me that if Hideout was successful, he’d want to do the same thing in his hometown of Salford. And he kept that promise. His donation was the catalyst for everything.”

With additional support from Salford City Council, which contributed £1.5 million and donated the land for the Youth Zone, and £7 million from the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport’s Youth Investment Fund, the Salford Youth Zone is fully funded for its construction phase.

Now, the focus is on securing the revenue funding needed to keep the centre running year after year.

If you are a business or local person who would like to help them out, please click here

Building a Brighter Future

As the April completion date approaches, the excitement surrounding Salford Youth Zone continues to build.

With its focus on providing a safe, supportive, and enriching environment for young people, the project is set to have a profound impact on the community for years to come.

“The young people in Salford have so much potential,” Adam concludes.

“They just need the opportunity to realise it. And that’s exactly what we’re here to provide.”

You can find out more about Salford Youth Zone by clicking here