Thursday September 2, 2010

A Tees Valley charity is commemorating the opening of a new drop-in centre.

Eastern Ravens Trust, which celebrates half a century of operation in 2011, supports children and young people from the Stockton area who are experiencing social isolation and disadvantage. Run by manager Mrs.T Hamilton, the charity currently delivers a youth club for young people at Primrose Hill Community Centre. It provides targeted support to help entry into employment and delivers the only dedicated service for young carers in the borough.

Based at Newtown Community Resource Centre, the organisation is hoping to reach out to more people with the opening of the new unit in Wellington Square Shopping Centre. Tracey said: “We are also hoping that the centre will help to identify young carers as we know there are many out there that don’t have any support.”

Young carers are children and young people who provide care to another family member for various reasons including disability, learning difficulties, mental health illness and drug and alcohol misuse. The centre has been acquired on a 2 year lease as part of an initiative to make use of empty town centre units and has already been spruced up with a giant graffiti-style logo created by young people. It will be open 09:00-17:00, Monday to Saturday.

http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/2010/08/25/easter-ravens-trust-opens-young-carers-drop-in-centre-in-stockton-84229-27128184/