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Youth PWR Charity awarded funding from the Million Hours Fund to launch Safe Hours in Waddon

Youth PWR has been awarded £99,250 from the Million Hours Fund to launch Safe Hours, a new programme that will create extra evening and weekend youth sessions for young people in Waddon.



Safe Hours will build on Youth PWR’s existing Rooms Project and will significantly increase the amount of safe, positive time young people can access after school and at weekends. Over the course of a year, the programme will deliver 650 hours of youth work, including 552 additional hours funded through the Million Hours Fund.


From early 2026, Safe Hours will run free, open access sessions across weekday evenings and Saturdays for young people aged 10 to 18, with young people with SEND welcomed up to age 25. Sessions will take place at Youth PWR’s base in Croydon, a fully accessible venue close to local transport links.


Young people attending Safe Hours will be able to take part in a mix of relaxed social space, games, creative activities and light-touch support. There will also be opportunities to get involved in photography, podcasting and magazine work linked to Youth PWR’s youth-led publication, PWR Magazine.


Dee Onigbanjo, Chief Executive Officer of Youth PWR, said:


“We are really grateful for this funding and excited about what Safe Hours will mean for young people in Waddon. We know that the hours after school and at weekends can be a difficult time for some young people, especially when there is nowhere positive to go. Safe Hours will give them a safe place to be, trusted adults to talk to, and creative opportunities to explore their interests and build confidence. It will help us be more present in the moments that matter most.”

Waddon has seen higher than average levels of youth related anti-social behaviour, particularly around parks, housing estates and the town centre. Safe Hours is designed to offer young people a positive alternative during these high-risk windows, with a focus on safety, creativity and belonging.


Funding from the Million Hours Fund has helped Youth PWR to expand its work in Waddon and create more places for young people to go and positive things for them to do. Thanks to the government and The National Lottery Community Fund for making this possible.


About the Million Hours Fund


The Million Hours Fund is a £19 million joint investment between The National Lottery Community Fund and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to deliver over a million additional hours of youth work in areas with high rates of anti-social behaviour. It gives young people more places to go and positive things to do.


About Youth PWR


Youth PWR is a Croydon-based charity that supports young people to develop confidence, skills and opportunities through creative programmes, safe spaces and youth-led media.


For more information about Safe Hours or to find out how to get involved, please contact:

Instagram: @youthpwr

 
 
 
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