An under-used space at an Oxford leisure centre will undergo a £1.2m redevelopment to support young people.

Oxford City Council has secured the funding in a partnership bid with Oxfordshire County Council to redevelop part of the Leys Pool and Leisure Centre on Pegasus Road to provide a new youth hub.

The youth hub, which the city council’s cabinet last night approved last night, will aim to drive positive outcomes for young people, including improved mental and physical wellbeing, and skills for life and work.

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Plans have been developed by the city council with the county council, which has statutory responsibility for children and young people’s services.

The anticipated programme of youth work activities includes opportunities such as cooking, climbing, music, technology and many others, and is expected to evolve as the programme develops.

The project will see the crèche facilities moved to another part of the leisure centre and soft play area converted, to create space for a social area, quiet rooms, a kitchen, music and digital space and a climbing wall.

The funding will also provide for four youth workers and a co-ordinator for the first year, and the city council is looking to put this staffing on a longer-term footing.

Councillor Chewe Munkonge, cabinet member for leisure and parks, said: “This is a really exciting opportunity to provide more activities and youth worker support to young people in Oxford.

“We know that these opportunities outside school can make a big difference to wellbeing, mental health and engagement with education.

"A hub like this can make a huge difference to whole families, helping reduce the inequalities that exist across the city.

"We want to give young people the chance to build their skills and confidence and be their best selves. I’m pleased to see this plan also showing how our leisure centres can be used in new ways to benefit local communities.”

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Councillor Liz Brighouse, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for children, education and youth services, said: “This partnership approach with Oxford City Council is part of our ongoing commitment to support youth services.

“We are already in touch with a number of local organisations such as the Oxford Academy school and Activate Learning College, as well as various community groups, and intend to grow this network in the coming months.

“The youth hub will provide a great opportunity to support a range of young people’s needs; building longer-term connections into employment, training, and transition into adulthood.”

The youth hub will build on the council’s Youth Ambition services in the area.

The aim of the service is to engage with disadvantaged young people aged 11 to 19 years old, or up to 25 if they have physical or learning difficulties, who are from Oxford’s regeneration areas.

The group holds activities, youth clubs, multi-sports sessions and detached work in a variety of settings in partnership with other voluntary, community and statutory organisations.