Volunteers vital to youth zone’s smooth running

Mahdlo, Oldham’s £5 million state-of-the-art youth zone, opened to the public just over seven weeks ago. Here Erin Heywood learns more about the background work that goes into the centre’s smooth operation
ARRIVING at Mahdlo at 6.10pm, 20 minutes before the centre opens every night, I expected to be the first there. How wrong I was.

A queue, and an orderly one at that, had obviously been forming for some time as dozens of children were waiting, eager to be the first to get inside Oldham’s £5 million youth zone.

Pleasantly surprised, I made my way to the reception desk, where two photographers and four men — applying to be volunteers — also crowded reception. Mahdlo is big news in Oldham: everyone wants a piece of it.

I was shown around Mahdlo shortly before the doors were opened, and it was the calm before the storm.

Spotless and quiet, I was able to take in the full range of facilities on offer.

A dance studio to rival Louis Spence’s Pineapple equivalent; a boxing suite with the resources to mould a future Amir Khan; a sports court to outdo any school’s. And that was just the start.

There’s a media suite with the most modern technology; a music room with state-of-the-art equipment, and every games console you could ever dream of owning.

Not a penny has been spared, and the last thing kids are going to be here is bored.

I was introduced to Rachel-Anne, who led a briefing for all the volunteers before opening.

One ethos of Mahdlo is to remind users about, and teach them, respect and responsibility. The volunteers are prepared to tackle anyone not doing so.

Later, while sitting-in on a volunteer training session, the four men I’d met earlier in reception were under mild scrutiny from Vicky Richardson, volunteer and training co-ordinator, about the qualities, skills and attitudes needed to be a successful youth worker.

Someone says: “There was nothing like this when I was young.” I’ll bet.

Being accepted as a volunteer at the centre isn’t taken lightly, and though the selection process isn’t overly gruelling and is done with a sense of fun, it’s clear it is carried out professionally and with the needs of the members a priority.

Ten minutes into the training session, music began to blare and excitable voices were heard.

Mahdlo was open, and ready for business...

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