Kinsale's youth café secures a new home

KINSALE Youth Community Café (KYCC) has secured the use of the Seaview premises on Pier Road in the town until September of next year (2017) and will be opening a youth café there shortly. 

The premises is in very good condition and is a great location for a Youth Café but needs cleaning, decorating and furniture, spokesperson Ger Rice said. ‘We are therefore appealing for volunteers and services such as electricians, plumbers, carpenters, cleaners, furniture, games, musical equipment, coffee machine etc,’ he added.

‘We are delighted to have this premises and we have no doubt it will bring significant benefit to the young people in our Community and to the well-being of Kinsale in general. We continue to search for a permanent location and we have ongoing contact with Cork County Council concerning the old Fire Station in the Glen which is an ideal location and currently underutilised,’ said Mr Rice.

The young people of Kinsale through the Community School, Foroige and KYSS (Kinsale Youth Support Services ) have all played a central role in making the facility a reality. ‘Many of us have nothing to do but hang around and this can easily result in young people getting into trouble,’ said one of the youth members. ‘We are worried that this is only a short term thing, and we are appealing to the County Council to talk to us about the old fire station.’

The idea of the youth café is to have an attractive safe place where young people can socialise with their friends and peers. It will be supervised by responsible adults at all times. Further details of opening times and activities will be announced later.

KYCC was formed last year and has very wide support throughout the community, including the Chamber of Tourism, the Lions Club, KYSS, the gardai, all the sporting organisations in the town, all the doctors and health care organisations, the schools, churches and all the organisations in the town who interact with young people.