224 Youth Zone founding partnerships announced to support Bristol youth provision

As work is set to imminently begin on the highly anticipated 224 Youth Zone, Youth Moves are excited to announce our first founding partnerships. 

The Cause and Off The Record (OTR) are the inaugural partners to join forces with 224, reflecting the shared commitment to enhancing youth provision in Bristol. These partnerships will play a crucial role in shaping how 224 will be utilised collaboratively, bringing together various charities and organisations to maximise the impact on young people across the city. 

We are now inviting other charitable youth organisations to step forward and become part of this ground breaking facility. By joining 224, organisations can contribute to and benefit from a network dedicated to providing comprehensive support and opportunities for Bristol’s youth. 

The partnership with The Cause will see workshops delivered by this Bristol charity at 224, providing young people with the opportunity to explore their creativity within music production, vocal recording, live performances, media video and photography, content creation, creative development, personal progression, and gain insights into the creative industries. While the partnership with OTR will focus on the provision of a mental health and wellbeing programme for young people. 

These partnerships build on Youth Moves’ 20 years of experience collaborating with schools, youth clubs and other charities in South Bristol and beyond. 

Guy Cowper, interim chief executive, Youth Moves, commented: “Partnership working is key to our model, and we are incredibly keen to talk to other youth organisations in the city not just about how they can use the space at 224 to deliver their own specialist programmes, but also how they can help deliver services in the new Youth Zone. This is about making youth provision in Bristol the best it can be by making 224 a hub and catalyst for partnership working.” 

 Jason Ward, Founder, The Cause, commented: “224 will be an absolute game-changer for Bristol, providing a much-needed space for young people city-wide to inspire and be inspired. We had the opportunity to visit the Wigan Youth Zone, so have seen first-hand what an incredible facility 224 will be for the young people of Bristol.”  

Jacob Diggle, Chair of Trustees at Off the Record said: "Young people deserve the best possible support but services are severely stretched across the region. The opening of 224 will be a moment for huge celebration! OTR are already proud partners of Youth Moves and we work closely together to make sure that mental health support is accessible wherever young people spend time. We look forward to deepening our partnership and offering more life changing support from the world class facilities that 224 will offer." 

 James Creed, Youth Moves Youth Worker added: “It’s great to be announcing the first of many partnerships as we work towards the opening of 224. These partnerships are about much more than sharing a space; they are all about sharing expertise and most importantly, supporting young people to discover their passion and purpose.”  

224 is a brand-new, first-class aspirational youth centre designed for young people to learn, connect, socialise, and develop. This state-of-the-art Youth Zone will provide young people aged 8 to 19, and up to 25 with additional needs, access to a variety of facilities and activities spanning sports, arts, performance, and enterprise. 

Operated by Youth Moves, 224 will enable young people to engage in over 20 activities, including football, boxing, climbing, creative arts, music, drama, and employability training. The centre will be staffed by skilled youth workers who will offer mentorship, guidance, and support, fostering connections that pave the way for brighter futures. 

224 will be part of a national network of 15 Youth Zones, built and initially funded by UK youth charity OnSide. Each Youth Zone is purposefully unique to its location by name, brand, and management team. When it opens in 2025, 224 will feature state-of-the-art facilities to support over 5000 young people, with its doors open 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year. 

For more information on 224, or to find out more about partnering with Youth Moves visit youthmoves224.org or email: [email protected]