Construction is about to start on a new youth hub in central Geelong.
The City of Greater Geelong will open the centre in the Busport building on the corner of Gheringhap Street and Transit Place in January next year.
The two-year pilot program is supported by $400,000 from the State Government.
More than 1220 people contributed their ideas about how the hub should look and what services and spaces it should offer, including 1121 young people aged between 12 and 25.
Based on these contributions, the hub will feature:
• an open plan area for socialising and group activities, which could also be set up with spaces for gaming and quiet time;
• a multi-purpose room suitable for a range of creative uses such as music and art;
• a kitchen, able to host cooking classes; and
• an accessible bathroom.
The look and feel of the interior will match the most popular descriptions from survey respondents, which included welcoming, comfortable, warm, colourful, and casual.
Input gathered during the engagement process will also influence how the hub is used.
Feedback suggested young people most wanted the facility to feature opportunities to learn or practice skills – such as cooking, art, and music – as well as mental health support, social ‘drop-in’ sessions, and employment assistance.
The city’s 2022 and 2023 Youth Councils both strongly advocated for a youth hub in Geelong and played central roles in progressing the project, while the 2024 group has been active in the design process.
“Young people have asked for this facility and from the outset we wanted to make it a place that they would want to come to,” Mayor Trent Sullivan said.
“This process has been incredibly valuable in helping to identify exactly what will make the youth hub a success, and how it can provide the most value to young people.”
Cr Sullivan even asked the community to help name the hub.
“We want a catchy name that will give the hub an identity and help attract people through the doors,” he said.
Submissions closed at the end of July. The youth development team will review them against the principles of simple, relevant, memorable, meaningful, and respectful, and present a shortlist to the Youth Council advisory committee.
To help the design process, the city’s youth development team also visited youth hubs in Richmond, Fitzroy, and Footscray, and engaged with staff from multiple youth service organisations.
Construction was expected to begin in September.
Find project updates at yoursay.geelongaustralia.com.au/YouthHub.
