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Pocklington Youth Center Empowers Teens with BBC Children in Need Funding
14 Nov
Summary
- BBC Children in Need funds 32 projects worth £1.9M in East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
- Young People Count center in Pocklington provides safe space for 11-18 year olds
- Funding allows center to employ counselor, offer activities like cooking and podcasting
In 2025, BBC Children in Need is funding 32 projects worth £1,886,457 to support 11,147 children and young people in East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. One of these projects is the Young People Count (YPC) center in Pocklington town center.
YPC offers weekly sessions for 11-18 year olds, providing a safe and welcoming space where they can "belong, be themselves, and feel heard." The center is a hive of activity, with a kitchen hosting cooking classes, a drama group rehearsing, and a chill-out space with a pool table. Volunteer Sydney Newman, who used to attend the center as a teenager, describes it as a "chill space with no pressure" where young people can try new things and learn about topics like sustainability and personal finance.
The BBC Children in Need funding, awarded earlier this year, has allowed YPC to employ a contextual therapeutic practitioner to work with young people struggling with anxiety and help them re-engage with school. Project manager Katherine Barker says the grant has been "incredible," enabling the center to deliver fun, skill-building activities that bridge the gap for these students.
For 13-year-olds Ayesha and Faye, YPC is a place to unwind after school and express themselves, including through a weekly podcast where they discuss center activities and their interests.
