Council launch borough’s first ever mobile youth bus

A council has launched the boroughs first ever mobile youth bus, offering young people access to education, mental and sexual health services on their doorstep.

Wandsworth council has worked with voluntary sector youth organisations to create the bus that offers a safe space for young people outside of school time.

The bus will offer mental health support, skills and employment guidance, sexual health advice, citizens advice and will also include a music studio, interactive white board, and game consoles for people to use.

On Mondays, the bus will visit York Road, Battersea, on Wednesdays it will be parked at Tooting Bec Lido Parking, Tooting, and on Saturdays the bus will head to Wandsworth Common in Dorlcote Road, Tooting.

Kate Stock, cabinet member for children, said: “This is great news for children and young people in our local communities. 

“I’m really pleased that this new service in Wandsworth will travel to the heart of our communities where young people are, giving them a safe place to go, providing engaging activities and offering them someone to speak to.

“With our new youth bus, we have listened to what our children and young people have told us they wanted, through our listening and engaging events over the summer.

“It takes a village to raise a child, but it also takes a community to raise a generation. We are really hoping this will be the next step in offering a more diverse, agile and needs led offer for all children and young people in Wandsworth.” 

Pictured top: Cabinet member for children Kate Stock, resident Lamees Bazuti, Wandsworth Mayor Juliana Annan and Putney MP Fleur Anderson outside the youth bus (picture: Wandsworth council)