Wester Hailes Youth Agency opens new office

Shirley McLaren, Chairperson of Wester Hailes Land and Property Trust;  Lewis Brown, Chairperson of the Youth Agency.

Shirley McLaren, Chairperson of Wester Hailes Land and
Property Trust;
Lewis Brown, Chairperson of the Youth Agency.

Wester Hailes Youth Agency recently welcomed a host of guests including funders, partners and young people to help them officially open their brand new office.

The office is an annexe on the well known Pyramid Youth Centre on Dumbryden Drive in Wester Hailes, which provides Drop in and Groupwork facilities for young people in the area.  The annexe allows the Youth Agency to work from one building at the heart of the community.  It brings many benefits to young people and staff alike.  As well reducing the carbon footprint the annexe will allow the Youth Agency to be more cost effective and provide more accessible services for young people.

Mary Gerrard, aged 15 presenting flowers to Shirley McLaren with Lewis Brown next to her.

Mary Gerrard, aged 15 presenting flowers to Shirley McLaren with Lewis Brown next to her.

Manager Valerie Cox said

We’ve already seen an increase in young people accessing our services, as the Pyramid has always been well known in the area.

Young people seem to agree, one commented;

It’s great being able to pop in whenever we are passing and the staff are great!

Young people are familiar with the Youth Centre and there have been more young people accessing services such as C:Card (free contraception and sexual health advice) and Individual Support who haven’t accessed these services before. We know that we will see this more and more in the future.

Mary Gerrard and Nicole Hume.

Mary Gerrard and Nicole Hume.

Through consultation with young people we are now running a Healthy Respect Health Drop in from our new office. We offer sexual health advice, C:Card, STI postal testing and pregnancy testing to young people over the age of 13, which is open at the following times:

Monday – 10am-9pm, Tuesday – 10am-8pm, Wednesday – 10am-9pm, Thursday – 10am-5pm, Friday – 7pm-9pm

The annexe was possible thanks to the financial support of funders including; Wester Hailes Land and Property Trust, The Clothworkers’ Foundation, The R S Macdonald Charitable Trust and Awards for All.

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