Point the way (From Western Telegraph)

Point the way

For the last of our series on youth projects in Pembrokeshire, reporter Anna Smith visits Point in Fishguard.

Point is part of a consortium funded through Objective One which includes the Tanyard in Pembroke and the Hive in Haverfordwest.

This project is the latest to be established - it was officially opened on St Davids Day this year. It is based at the Unity Hall in Fishguard (formerly used by the Labour Club), near Lota Park. The hall has undergone a complete revamp since its Labour Club days, and is now home to bright colours, a cosy kitchen and scrumptious sofas. Point has been in the pipeline for a long time.

Around five years ago it was recognised that a youth centre or project was needed here in Fishguard, said Dawn.

A management committee was set up and they researched what young people wanted in the area.

The young people themselves also carried out research, and visited other youth projects to see what they did. The resulting film was entitled Fishguard TV and was screened at Theatr Gwaun in Fishguard. Unfortunately, plans came to a halt for a while because there was no funding around.

Subsequently, Objective One money became available through the European Social Fund (ESF) and Point, together with the Tanyard Youth Project in Pembroke and the Garth Community Youth Project (Hive), put together a joint bid for funds.

They were supported in their bid by the Pembrokeshire Association of Voluntary Services (PAVS), an independent association of voluntary and community groups.

PAVS now administer the funding of the three groups and a monitoring officer liaises with them and the Objective One officers to let them know if they are achieving their targets. Points current funding started a year ago and it will run out in January next year.

Half the funding came from ESF (European Social Fund), which was match-funded by the EDF from the National Assembly, and administered through the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.