Youngsters are in the zone at sports centre

Aidan Mollitor (11) enjoys the Youth Only Zone at Failsworth Leisure Centre

Teenagers’ weekends are no longer boring in Failsworth after the local sports centre opened its doors exclusively to young people on Saturdays.

Now more people can find out about the Youth Only Zone (YOZ) at Failsworth Leisure Centre with a weekend of free activities on July 10 and 11.

The YOZ, part of Oldham Council’s Integrated Youth Service initiative, has run for a year and steers youngsters away from anti-social behaviour by offering them weekend facilities.

Instead of closing at 6.30pm, the centre opens — but only to 11 to 19 year-olds — for more than two hours of games, sport and education.

Now YOZs could open at other sports centres across Oldham.

It encourages them to take part in football, netball, dance, swimming, rugby, get health education and the chance to build a variety of accreditations.

Between 60 and 100 young people attend the YOZ each week, but around 300 have used the Saturday night sports centre at least once.

Organisers say the initiative is helping to tackle behavioural problems, obesity, fitness and health concerns.

The July free weekend is part of the Government’s £679 million Aiming High initiative for 2008-2011. Oldham has received £4.158 million.

Levi Eccleston (11) said: “I’ve been coming nearly every week since it started. I didn’t really do much on a Saturday night, we’d just wander around on the streets. Coming here keeps us off the streets and its great that we can do loads of different things.”

Debbie Lyons, Integrated Youth Service manager at Oldham, said: “We have strong anecdotal evidence that anti-social behaviour in the area is down.

“What is special for those attending the YOZ is that there are no adults telling them what they can and can’t do — that’s why the attendance numbers and the level of engagement are so high.

“But I really like the fact that all ages engage with each other, for example the 18 and 19 year-olds will coach the younger boys in football.”

For further information on the open weekend log on to www.direct.gov.uk/getinvolved.