Wirral Council has announced a pioneering partnership with Oasis Charitable Trust to repurpose a council-owned property into a comprehensive support centre for vulnerable young people. The new facility, named Oasis Village Wirral, will be located at the Solar Campus in Wallasey and aims to provide critical services to those at risk of social exclusion and exploitation.
The initiative, described as a 'national first', was officially unveiled at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. It represents a new model of collaboration between a local authority and a charitable organisation to address pressing community needs by creating a hub for support, education, and healthcare access for young people and their families.
Key Takeaways
- Wirral Council is providing its Solar Campus property in Wallasey for the new youth hub.
- The project, Oasis Village Wirral, is a partnership with Oasis Charitable Trust.
- It aims to support young people at risk of school exclusion, criminality, and exploitation.
- The initiative is the first of its kind where a council has repurposed a building for an Oasis Village.
- The hub will provide access to education, healthcare, and career pathways while aiming to reduce youth crime.
A Groundbreaking Partnership for Wirral's Youth
Wirral Council and Oasis Charitable Trust have formally launched a project designed to transform the opportunities available to the area's most vulnerable young residents. The announcement on Monday, September 29, confirmed that the council's Solar Campus on Leasowe Road in Wallasey will become the home of Oasis Village Wirral.
This collaboration marks a significant step in community support, leveraging a proven model developed by Oasis to create integrated services. The primary goal is to intervene early and provide a safety net for children and young people who face challenges such as school exclusion, social marginalisation, and the risk of criminal exploitation.
The project will also extend support to parents and carers, recognising that a holistic family approach is essential for long-term positive outcomes. By establishing a central, accessible location, the partnership seeks to break down barriers to essential services.
Aligning with National Strategy
The Oasis Village Wirral initiative complements the UK Government's wider Young Futures Hubs programme. This national scheme aims to establish 50 similar hubs across the country before 2029, focusing on preventing youth crime and improving life chances for disadvantaged young people.
The Vision for Oasis Village Wirral
The new hub at the Solar Campus will serve as a base for a wide range of services and organisations, creating a powerful ecosystem of support. The model is designed to be cost-effective and community-driven, empowering local groups to contribute their expertise.
Core Objectives of the Hub
Oasis Village Wirral will focus on several key areas to deliver its transformative agenda. According to the announcement, the project will aim to:
- Support Local Organisations: Provide physical space and resources for local civil society groups to work and collaborate.
- Improve Educational Access: Work with local schools to reduce barriers that lead to persistent absence and exclusion.
- Provide Healthcare: Create accessible pathways to physical and mental healthcare for vulnerable young people and their families.
- Create Future Pathways: Develop life choices and career opportunities for at-risk youth.
- Reduce Youth Crime: Implement programmes aimed at preventing youth violence and involvement in criminal activity.
- Strengthen Community Cohesion: Embed tailored, easy-to-access services directly within the local community.
By bringing these functions under one roof, the village aims to provide a more coordinated and less fragmented system of support than is often available through separate agencies.
A Proven Model Adapted for Wirral
While the Wirral project is unique in its partnership with a local authority, it is based on a successful blueprint. Oasis has already established a similar hub, Oasis St. Martin’s Village, in a former secondary school it owns in south London. That project has demonstrated the effectiveness of partnering with local charities, businesses, and public services to meet community needs.
The key difference in Wirral is the proactive role of the council in making one of its own properties available. This move is seen as a pioneering approach to public-private partnership in the social sector, potentially setting a precedent for other local authorities across the country.
A National First: The Oasis Village Wirral is the first instance of a local authority in the UK making one of its buildings available to Oasis to establish a community support village of this kind.
This approach allows the charity to focus its resources on service delivery rather than property acquisition, accelerating the project's timeline and maximising its impact on the community from the outset.
Leadership Voices on the New Initiative
Leaders from both Wirral Council and Oasis Charitable Trust have expressed strong optimism about the project's potential. They highlight the importance of community empowerment and innovative thinking in addressing complex social issues.
Julie McManus, Deputy Leader of Wirral Council, emphasised the value of the model. She stated that the project is a proven and cost-effective way to meet community-building priorities.
“An Oasis Village is a proven and cost-effective model for meeting some of our most important community building priorities in genuine partnership with local people to transform the life opportunities of children, young people, and their families, by empowering grassroots groups and ordinary people. It takes a village to raise a child.”
Steve Chalke MBE, the founder of Oasis, praised the council for its forward-thinking approach. He stressed the importance of listening to and empowering local residents, who are often the most valuable asset in creating lasting change.
“We are grateful to Wirral Council for their groundbreaking thinking. The voice of the greatest social asset: local people – mums, dads, families, other community members and groups – is too often ignored... An Oasis Village is all about working with local people and empowering them to get the job done.”
Chalke added that Oasis has been in conversation with various Wirral organisations for several years and is excited to formalise these partnerships as the new village develops, stating, “There is no time to lose, we have to think differently about welfare and social cohesion.”