Following a trip to Africa, David McClean came home with the aim of raising money for the community he had visited as a way of giving something back. With his 14-year-old son Luke keen to help, they set about planning and putting on a special show with children from the local area.
A huge success
It was a huge success, but it also highlighted the lack of safe spaces and activities for local children. Passionate about making a difference, teenage Luke took the lead and while training to be a professional chef, he gave his spare time to the local community. Twenty years later, YoungStars Community Hub has helped thousands of local children. Now a community interest company, Luke and his team run youth clubs, providing a wide range of activities for 5-16 year olds including sports, computer games, arts and craft, theatre, sensory challenges and cooking classes.
Local community opportunities
“First and foremost, it’s about providing a safe, inclusive and fun environment for children to socialise and play but it’s also about offering opportunities for them to learn, grow, and for many, to get a hot meal,” says Luke. “Teaching kids about food, nutrition and cooking gives me huge joy and teaches crucial life skills. One member of our team first came to us as a 7-year-old and is now one of our directors.”
The enterprise relies on donations and funding to continue its work but is launching a community café this year. “It will be a key factor in bringing in some much-needed funds but it will also be a great way of providing work experience to the youngsters and offering a space and affordable hot food to other members of the community, especially the older generations.”