However, it is not only these groups that form Barnet’s community facilities; there are other youth groups that exist which incorporate a mix of different cultures, beliefs and religions. Across Barnet, there are several key religious sites available for the youth to take part in, with special permission by the council given to these religious sites to hold special public events and promoting Britain’s multicultural society, with today’s youth as a driving force.
However, many of these buildings which these groups are situated in are often older buildings which have not been refurbished since the last decade, and analysis into the safety of these buildings has concluded that these antiquated buildings may be exposing young people to unsafe materials such as lead used in older buildings. It is recommended that the council refurbish as many of these buildings as soon as possible, and to move clubs away from these buildings until they have been fully refurbished and checked for safety.
Sports
Sports are also a popular recreation aspect of a young person’s life, and the number of sporting facilities across Barnet reflects upon this. There are two different sports centres located around Barnet, each containing a range of different sporting facilities which the youth are able to take advantage of, as well as sporting clubs held in these centres. Examples of this include martial arts, boxing as well as tennis.
These facilities also enable Barnet to have a sporting identity with teams; Barnet is home to Barnet rugby club, as well as having its own swimming team, the majority of which are made of Barnet’s youths. The sporting facilities currently in place allow youths across Barnet access to a wide range of different sports, enabling them to communicate with other youths as well as for recreational purposes.
A survey done for the purpose of this report suggests that 60% of teenagers are happy with the wide range of sporting opportunities on offer, however 90% indicated that they were not happy with the hygiene aspects of the facilities, with one teenager (aged 15) commenting on one of the swimming pools as ‘rather unclean as the pool is rarely cleaned by staff and the changing areas are often full of litter’. Therefore it may be a good idea for the council to invest in better cleaning facilities and to ensure that all public buildings are cleaned on a regular basis.
Education
Education is another key part of community facilities, and Barnet is home to three libraries, all maintained by the council and providing place for the youth to research and print off materials related to their studies should they wish to do so. Barnet’s libraries serve as an excellent foundation for education, with many students suggesting that their local library was a ‘convenient place to work’:
“I visit my local library every day after school to complete my work – the range of books as well as computer facilities means that there is always something to do, and since I do not have a printer at home the library also helps me complete my school work” (Student, currently in Year 8)
However, many comment on the lack of availability of some books, and the books that are available are often worn out. A poll conducted by this investigation indicates that many would like to see the council invest into more new books, as well as extra computing facilities as the libraries can often become crowded after school times with both adults as well as young people such as students visiting the library.
Room for Improvement
While Barnet and its council have already made a huge step towards providing a range of community facilities for young people, there are still improvements that can be made, the most important possibilities including the health issues related to older buildings as well as hygiene in public facilities. Much of the youth in Barnet enjoy using these facilities, and it is essential to ensure that they can continue doing so while remaining safe at the same time. Overcrowding of some of these facilities is also a big issue, and the council is recommended to invest more money into expanding existing facilities in order to provide better services for today’s youth.
