Young people from Mosta are downcast because the town’s Youth Empowerment Centre risks closing down.

In 2005 the government opened seven YECs, in Zurrieq, Qormi, Mosta, Tarxien, Fgura, Victoria and Birkirkara and the Mosta centre survived and flourished, empowering young people from all walks of life. It now risks closure due to lack of funding. Initially the centres were co-financed by the youth secretariat under former parliamentary secretary Jesmond Mugliett within the Education Ministry and the respective local councils.

The Mosta council continued to finance the centre independently for the last two years because the government decided to stop the funding after seven centres from eight failed to operate successfully as was originally planned. Though the local council wishes to carry on the centre’s operation, it is struggling to find and allocate the necessary finance.

The centre, comprising four rooms above the elderly day care centre in Kurat Schembri Street, was costing the local council around e5,000 a year to cover administration costs but since its inception it attracted over e60,0000 from various funding sources mostly from the European Youth Programme for local and international projects.

The rumour that the YEC might close its doors was around for almost a year but has been confirmed in the recent weeks. Young people have taken the news badly because they have invested a lot of trust and energy in the centre.

A very able youth worker employed on a part-time basis since 2005 for a few hours a week runs the YEC but the role demands much more time than the actual twice-weekly meetings. The secret to its success was a number of volunteer leaders and young people roped in to maximise their potential and simultaneously participate in various projects.

Around 100 young persons aged over 12 years make use of the YEC’s services regularly all year round while others drop in occasionally seeking support or a listening ear. Hundreds of other youngsters were empowered through the centre over the years.

The YEC offers support services to both NGOs and young people in the locality, and maintains best working relations with Mosta schools. The main aim is to empower young people and provide them with the information required, whether this relates to career guidance, nutritional health, work opportunities, young people’s rights, the environment, religion, sexual health and a myriad of other issues affecting young people.

Depending on the issue, one-to-one sessions are often offered to guide the young people through the different options available. Empowerment is elicited informally through activities such as summer clubs, treasure hunts, cultural visits, seminars, open days, bazaars, youth exchanges, European Voluntary Service and much more.

There appears to be unanimous support among all 11 Mosta councillors for the youth centre to proceed as it has done so far. The current uncertain situation is worrying many parents. They cannot perceive how, through the hundreds of thousands of euros it is allocated by the government, the council cannot find a four-figure amount to sustain an entity that has been so beneficial to Mosta’s young population.