The Zone officially launched

Despite having been up and running for over four years, one of Blakestown’s favourite centres for young people, The Zone Youth Health Café, received its seal of approval this week when it was officially launched by Minister of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Brian Lenihan.

Established in 2003, the Zone is a drop in cafe run by, and open to, young people between the ages of 12 and 18 in the general Blakestown area. Young people who participate in the Zone café are invited to engage in teenage health initiative programmes, where they have an opportunity to explore teenage health issues, including relationships, self-confidence, decision making, team work and sexuality.

But it is more for its social aspect that the café is so popular. Open four evenings a week and every second Saturday, the youth advisory committee organise a wide range of games and activities, both cultural and sporting, where young people can come and participate in a non-threatening environment.

Football is naturally very popular on Tuesday nights but there are also good attendances for volleyball, yoga, board games, arts and crafts and, wait for it, Twister! There are also computer games and a Playstation 3 is on the agenda for the near future.

“There is no pressure on anybody to attend,” explains Blanchardstown Youth Services’ Esther Collins who, with Rita Hayden co-ordinates the project. “Young people may drop in whenever they like. They might only stay for one activity, they might stay for the entire evening. There is no obligation on anybody to attend though with the wide range of activities, many hang around for the craic.”

Certainly a large part of the Zone’s success lies in the youth advisory committee, which runs the café and decides upon activities, décor and food in an open and democratic fashion. “Rita and I are there mainly as facilitators,” explains Esther. “The committee come to us with requests and we do our best to make things happen. Within reason of course!”

Speakers at the launch were introduced by the M.C.s Dean Creighton and Qassem Albaghaddi. John Cahill Manager of BYS spoke about the origins and history of the project. Billy Freeley, Chairperson of Foróige and Caroline Spillane, Director of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency, who provide the café’s core funding, also contributed to the speeches.

In addition, and indeed appropriately, speeches were also given by two members of the Youth Advisory Committee. Both Rachel Mooney and Sarah O’Hanlon spoke eloquently at the launch, with Sarah in particular recalling that she was in fact the first Zone Café member when the project began in 2003.

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