This January, Barnsley is celebrating more than a fresh start.
After years of consultation, construction and community collaboration, the town’s brand-new £10.5 million Base71 Youth Zone officially opens on Monday 19th January.
The first youth zone of its kind in Yorkshire, Base71 marks a bold step forward in how Barnsley supports and empowers its young people. It’s been spearheaded by the national youth charity, OnSide, with financial backing from Barnsley Council, ASOS, and other local businesses and beneficiaries.
Located just a short walk from the town centre, opposite the train station, Base71 has been built on the site of the long-abandoned electricity depot.
But a different kind of energy now fills the air. It’s a place that sparks bright ideas and bold futures for children and young people aged eight to 19.
The doors will be open seven days a week, with separate sessions for two different age groups: juniors aged eight to 12 and seniors aged 13 to 19. There will also be a weekly inclusive session for children and young people up to 25 who have SEN and SEMH needs, we well as project nights working in partnership with external organisations for specific activities.
Every child or young person that uses Base71 will have access to facilities we could only have dreamed of as kids.
One standout feature is a huge climbing wall for confidence-building adventures. It’s one of the biggest across the OnSide youth zone network and even has equipment for children with disabilities to access it.
There’s a four-court indoor sports hall set up for a range of activities from badminton and tennis to basketball, cricket and even curling. And with a stock of 70,000 pieces of sports equipment, it means there’s something for every ability, interest and age, encouraging more young people to stay active.
Each session will run a 3-2-1 method: starting off with three different games, then dropping to two, and finishing with one big group game like dodgeball or bulldog. There are also trampolines that can be put out for specific sessions.
Upstairs is a fitness suite with high-tech cardio machines and strength and resistance weights, plus a with a boxing ring and punchbags. Young people can book onto a youth-appropriate fitness session guided by trained instructors, making sure the equipment is used correctly and responsibly while helping young people develop healthy habits and avoid injury.
Then up on the roof is a spectacular floodlit football pitch with panoramic views of the town. Who knows – that rooftop pitch could generate the next John Stones or Bethany England.
For creative kids, the centre offers a fully equipped art and fashion design studio, a mirrored dance studio, and a music suite with guitars, drumkits and keyboards plus a multi-media room for editing, mixing and podcasting.
There’s also a food-tech kitchen area where young people can learn practical life skills from budgeting and meal planning to preparing healthy recipes. It’s fully equipped with ovens, stoves, a well-stocked pantry and washing machines, and is also really accessible with under-counter space for wheelchair users.
Meanwhile, a health and wellbeing room has a salon-style sink and equipment for wash and blow dries, plus a choice of nail varnishes and other beauty equipment. This space can also be used for mindfulness sessions and mental-health workshops.
Each session will have a designated quiet area for those who prefer to be away from the noise. There is also a sensory room with soothing lights and tactile surfaces designed for visitors with SEN or SEMH needs.
And for those who just want to chill out with their friends, there’s a large rec area with pool tables, comfy seating and the café which will serve up hot meals and a tuck shop.
Every area has been created with input from young people, ensuring a blend of fun, learning and personal development.
They’ve thought about everything, from having washing machines and showers available for any young person who needs to use them to employability workshops and a young leaders programme.
Base71 isn’t just somewhere for kids to burn off steam or run riot. They’re learning new skills, meeting new friends, building confidence, and their grown-ups feel reassured knowing they’re in a safe and supportive environment.
It’s their space, designed to help them flourish.
“We want young people to take ownership of it,” says the centre’s CEO Mandy Carlson. “I’d love to see 200 kids a night here having fun and using it to the max. But I also want every young person in Barnsley and beyond to know that this is a safe space to hang out and that it’s also aspirational.”
Mandy, from Cudworth, has seen first-hand how the challenges young people face in adolescence – lack of stability, limited opportunities, or nowhere safe to go after school – can shape their futures as adults.
She brings a wealth of insight from years spent working in housing and homelessness charities like Shelter and Crisis Skylight at Manvers, supporting adults who had fallen through the gaps as children.
That’s why she is determined to build something different for Barnsley, somewhere young people can find stability, aspiration and the kind of everyday support that helps prevent problems like homelessness from taking root later on.
“We would often get told by coaches at Crisis that if only they could have got hold of people at 13 and not 23 or 53 then things would have been so different. So many issues come from childhood trauma. We have a big focus on creating a youth environment here at Base71 but we will also offer targeted support for those children and young people who need one-to-one intervention.”
Local youth workers note that many young people simply need somewhere safe to be, something constructive to do, and someone who believes in them. This new centre brings all three under one roof.
The charity has employed a brand-new team of youth workers, led by James Mahoney who has previously worked at Barnsley FC and Rotherham United Community Trust. There will be supervisors and sessional workers leading each room, as well as a team of volunteers to help the sessions run smoothly.
So although parents, carers and grandparents won’t be stepping inside – it’s strictly a young-people-only space – this new youth zone brings something priceless: the reassurance that children and teens have a safe, supervised place to spend their free time, away from the pull of screens or hanging about on the streets.
When you’re juggling work, school runs and busy schedules, it also provides a reliable, low-cost option for structured after-school and weekend activity.
Entry is just 50p and hot meals are available for only £1, so they can have a few hours out of the house, including their tea, for less than the cost of a Happy Meal!
Annual membership is £5 but children with Barnsley postcodes can apply for the first year free thanks to funding by Barnsley Council and their Great Childhoods Ambition project. It’s no wonder they’ve already had almost 2,000 kids sign up as members before the doors even open.
But to keep the doors open long-term, the charity need the support of the community to meet its £1.3 million running costs. They’re launching a Founder Patrons programme, looking for at least 34 committed supporters to pledge money to the charity.
This crucial support would guarantee the centre’s future and keep prices accessible for all families, but businesses can also see it as a worthwhile investment in their future workforce.
Global design and manufacturing company, Balmoral Tanks, based in Thurnscoe, were the first founder patron to sign up. Mandy is hoping to exceed their target of 34 so that they can offer even more opportunities like trips and residentials.
But mostly, she’s excited to see the doors finally opening. Since they got the keys in October, her team have been avidly working hard behind the scenes to make sure everything is in place to welcome hundreds of young people through the doors.
There will be an open day on Saturday 17th January where children can come with their grown-ups to have a look round before it officially opens on Monday 19th.
Junior sessions (ages 8-12) will be on Mondays and Thursdays 4pm-8pm and Saturday 10am-3pm. Senior sessions (ages 13-19) will be on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday evenings 4pm-9pm. The SEN inclusive session is every Sunday 10am-4pm. Entry is 50p per session.
Free annual membership for Barnsley families is open until 31st March. Families from across the wider South Yorkshire region can still access the youth zone, with membership £5 per child.
Find out more about how to join or to get involved as a founder patron at www.base71youthzone.org
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