A go-to place for young people in Wolverhampton celebrated ten years of ‘impact’ and immediately signalled its intention to help even more individuals in the city.
The Way Youth Zone, which is a state-of-the-art space for eight to eighteen-year-olds, made the rallying call at a special birthday event that looked back at its achievements with members, staff and businesses that have supported it since 2016.
CEO Paul Snape revealed that over 21,000 young people have benefited from access to sport, music and art sessions, with nearly 395,000 visits for fun, learning and connection recorded during that time.
This has helped members make friends, reduce anxiety and create employment opportunities in the local area.
An outreach programme is also proving increasingly popular, with recently launched minibus pickups and drop-offs bringing in 38 new young people – all of whom would previously have been missing out.
“A lot has been achieved, but this is just the start – there’s still thousands of children and young adults we need to reach,” explained Paul, who joined The Way Youth Zone in 2024.
“We want to use our 10th birthday as a platform to encourage greater investment in our young people – this will help us evolve our strategy to open seven days per week, providing a safe and inclusive environment whilst reaching the widest cohort possible.
“By encouraging face‑to‑face social interaction, Youth Zones help build confidence, friendships and a sense of belonging. Our qualified youth workers guide and encourage young people to try new activities and learn new skills, building confidence in the process.”
He went on to add: “They are also there as mentors, recognising when an individual might need support and enabling early intervention at crucial moments. We are changing lives every single day.”
The Way Youth Zone’s story dates back to 2012, when Wolverhampton City Council – in partnership with local businesses – teamed up with Onside to start the ball rolling on a Youth Zone for young people in the city.
This vision was picked up by entrepreneur and then Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Chairman Steve Morgan CBE, who played a significant role in helping take a derelict site just off the ring road and turning it into the centre that we see today, a centre that offers a climbing wall, 5-a-side football pitch, boxing gym and music studio.
Sessions, which are offered to juniors, inbetweeners and seniors, run every night after school, whilst families are invited in on Saturdays to enjoy activities together.
There is a strong emphasis on inclusivity, and The Way Youth Zone is also open to young people and families with special educational needs and disabilities through themed fun mornings where members can enjoy art, music, sport, quizzes, dance or just spending time in the sensory room.
Paul went on to add: “We have received fantastic backing over the last decade with many of our Founder Patrons still involved, including the Gough Group, University of Wolverhampton, City of Wolverhampton College, City of Wolverhampton Council and Roy Bernard – the latter recently hosting a celebration event at The Mount Hotel where we raised enough money to employ a new Youth Worker for the year!
“The corporate backing we get makes all the difference. In addition to becoming a Patron, you can also volunteer as an individual or a team, use our space for teambuilding days, fundraise or collaborate with us on an Employability Partnership.
“Offering work experience, masterclasses or world of work visits really help our young people to understand and discover what careers are possible. One of the big things we want to do is raise aspirations, that’s really important to us and the city.”
Sam’s story…
“The Way doesn’t just transform lives, it saves them,” explained Sam from Wolverhampton.
The mother of three was going through an extremely difficult period, leaving her feeling unsafe and overwhelmed.
She immediately jumped on a bus and took her children to the Youth Zone, knowing she would be met with open arms, kind words and an environment that William and Joseph felt safe in.
“I’ll never forget that day and how they helped keep our family together. We weren’t judged, we were just met with love and given space to process what had happened…importantly, the boys had time to work it all through with people they trust.”
Sam, who has since completed a 10k race to raise money for The Way, picked up the story: “It’s like an extended family and I’ll never forget the way they have given Joseph his childhood back, whilst helping William, who is non-verbal, to communicate through mac-a-ton sign language.
“The youth workers took the time to understand my boys…seeing past labels and conditions and making them feel like they belonged. I’ll never forget that.”
Natalya’s story…
In 2018, a shy 10-year-old named Natalya walked into The Way Youth Zone looking to make friends and become more confident.
What she found was a supportive community that helped her not only blossom socially but also prepared her for a dream career in the army.
“The first day was scary, ” Natalya admits, “but the staff were so nice and helped me feel comfortable talking to people.”
However, The Way offered more than socialisation. With a lifelong dream of joining the Army, she found the perfect training ground in its gym facilities. With access to equipment and guidance from staff, she diligently built the physical strength required for a demanding military career.
“Having a gym at The Way has really helped me up my fitness. It’s exactly what I needed to achieve my goal of becoming a soldier.”
Youth workers became a network, guiding Natalya’s career aspirations. They connected her with army resources and even arranged for a presentation from the Army careers office.
“Don’t let nerves hold you back, ” Natalya says to anyone considering joining The Way Youth Zone.
“It’s a great place to meet new people, build confidence, and even get help with your future career goals. Just like they helped me, The Way can help you too!”
For further information, please visit www.thewayyouthzone.org or follow the charity across its social media channels.
