Jordan Schellenberg and Mitch Harty have quit their day jobs to invest in Lethbridge youth. The two Lethbridge natives are opening the first ever free after-school program for teens. ‘Youth One’ will be funded by a local organization called “Bridges of Hope.”
“It’s giving youth who don’t typically have access to a facility like this where there is a ton of support and positive mentorship and they feel safe to come to,” says Schellenberg.
But this youth centre is not like any other. An indoor skateboard ramp, pool tables, flat screens and brand new apple computers are all part of the experience.
“One thing going into is we wanted to provide youth with the best things possible, we wanted them to come here and say ‘these guys put together a space that is top-notch’” adds Harty.
The centre will help youth from grades 9- 12. Schellenberg says many of the teens visiting Youth One are underprivileged.
“Between 3:00 P.M – 6:00 P.M there is a high crime rate for youth, so that’s why we wanted to be open during those times – to give them an alternative to the potential negative behavior that they could get involved in,” explains Schellenberg.
Youth One drop-in centre officially opens January 5th and the founders say the youth who have already visited the centre keep coming back. It’s located on the corner of 13th Street and 13th avenue North.
Comments