Children’s Commissioner Dr Maggie Atkinson visited young people and staff at the Reach Out project, in the Sudell area of Darwen, as part of fact-finding trip.
Reach Out, run by environmental charity Groundwork Pennine Lancashire, delivers programmes and activities for young people, providing them with the skills to help address issues affecting their health, wellbeing and personal development.
Among those she met was Declan Stewart, 17, who has been at Reach Out more than a decade.
Declan said: “If it wasn’t for this place I’d probably be stuck at home claiming unemployment benefit.”
The commissioner also tried out the project’s ‘Got it Covered’ bus, which provides a late-night mobile advice service within hotspot areas of Blackburn and Darwen where young people congregate.
Past funding for the project has come from Blackburn with Darwen Council Groundwork have now been told cash for the second half of the year has been withdrawn.
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