Centre changes name and focus (From Andover Advertiser)

Charity in Hook is expanding services it offers to young people

9:00am Sunday 3rd March 2013 in Basingstoke By Chris Gregory

A CHARITY in Hook has changed its name after expanding the services it offers to young people.

The Hart Neighbourhood Centre, which is based in London Road, has changed its name to Inclusion Hampshire.

The charity started in 2005 as a community safety project covering western Hart.

Cheryl Edwards, chief executive, said the charity now focuses on training and apprenticeships for young people who find themselves out of work or out of mainstream education.

Many of its clients come from Basingstoke, Farnborough and Aldershot, but some live as far away as Lymington and Chandler’s Ford.

She said: “We have been thinking about this change for the last year. We are not really a neighbourhood centre any more as our work has carried us outside that remit.

“We have focused on what the need is in this area, and that is alternative education provision for young people. We are going to stay in the building because it is central.”

The charity now runs drop-in clinics in Hook and Fleet for jobless young adults, after-school motivational clubs for young people who find school life difficult, as well as an apprenticeship programme.

Some of the services that it has passed on to other organisations include the healthy walks scheme and domestic violence support service.

The charity now supports 100 young people under the age of 16 and 50 people aged between 16 and 24.

Mrs Edwards said: “We are finding more young people saying there are not enough jobs for them. It is hard for them to access any kind of work if they do not have qualifications or have a difficult home life.”