Following on from Suffolk County Councils announcement that all local youth clubs will be closed and divested, local youth charity JUMP has announced its support to doing everything possible to ensure local young people don’t loose vital youth services and safe places to go.

JUMP delivers one to one mentoring to vulnerable young people aged 13 – 25 years along with offering a drop in service where all young people can access help and support from qualified mentors in a safe and controlled environment.

Since receiving £487,191 from the BIG lottery young peoples fund 2 last year the charity has gone from strength to strength, opening a new premises in London Road North, recruiting and training new volunteers, opening a drop in service, giving local young people a voice in the community and being presented with the High Sherriff’s crime beat award for initiatives that involved young people in helping reduce crime and anti-social behavior and improving their local community, JUMP then went onto becoming highly commended in the national crime beat awards.

The project was set up for and by young people 2 years ago and after listening to the concerns raised by the news of the proposed closures JUMP is now aiming to help out ahead of the closures.

“Due to our amazing success over the last year we wish to expand our mentoring and drop in service to new areas of Lowestoft and Waveney. By opening new drop ins throughout the town we want to ensure young people still have safe places to meet and socialise along with the ability to access support whenever they need it from one of our trained mentors. We would like to work together with and support local voluntary and community groups to deliver these services to young people and will offer our full commitment to training and supporting groups to ensure young peoples voices are heard and they continue to have safe places to go”

Local MP Peter Aldous came to visit JUMPs headquarters in London Road North to offer his support to our campaign and meet some of the young people who help to run the charity.

Speaking after his visit Mr Aldous said “I was pleased to meet the hard working staff and volunteers at JUMP. They are doing great work in the community and want to do more. I will be working with them to help them achieve this.”

For more information about JUMP or to make a donation please contact 01502 569225 or visit www.jumpuk.org