Cafe Laare, the Department of Education and Children’s youth cafe, is a trailblazer for other projects and facilities for young people. That’s the view of Eddie Teare MHK, Minister for Education and Children, who was commenting on the first year of the Youth Service facility for over-13s in Lord Street, Douglas. Cafe Laare – the name means ‘centre’ in Manx – opened to young people on 18th January 2010 and was formally declared up and running by Graham Cregeen MHK, at that time a member of the Department of Education and Children, later that month. The ground floor boasts a coffee bar, selling drinks and snacks, and two iMac computers. The first floor is a lounge with adjustable lighting to create different moods. Young people’s artwork is on display, including one piece donated by a grateful user. Cafe Laare is open from 3.30pm to 5.30pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 4pm to 11pm on Fridays and from 1pm to 11pm on Saturdays. When not in use as a youth cafe, the venue provides a useful meeting point for many agencies and projects involved with young people. It hosts twice-weekly drop-in session for those not in employment, education or training (NEETs) seeking support with jobseeking, housing etc. It is the venue for Project Baby Bump, run in conjunction with other Government departments and agencies, which offers information and support to pregnant under 20-year-olds and their families. The DEC’s detached youth team, which works with young people on the streets of Douglas, is based there. The Voices in Participation (VIP) Council for looked-after children also meets there, as do the Douglas and Eastern Multi-Agency Teams and the two areas’ level 1 partnership groups. The cafe’s staff and young people were part of a group that won a Britain in Bloom award in 2010 for its transformation of the Snake Pit area close to the cafe. The cafe was the subject of a documentary filmed by students of Queen Elizabeth II High School for a BBC Online project and has even featured on BBC1’s The One Show, with young people interviewed their over their views on methadone. Mr Teare, who has been Minister for Education and Children since April 2010, said: ‘I have been astounded by the very favourable reaction to the young people’s cafe. ‘I can take no credit for the original decision, but at the time it was a bold approach and could have been criticised. However, with the hard work of the Youth Service team and the enthusiastic participation of the young people it has now become an integral part of the youth scene in Douglas. In many respects it is a trailblazer and a pointer to the future.’ Leanne Newbold, Youth and Community Worker in charge of Cafe Laare, said the DEC had succeeded in its intention to create a safe and comfortable place for young people to meet friends chill out and enjoy reasonably-priced refreshments. Cafe Laare operates with mutual respects between young people and adults, with young people consulted about the running of ‘their’ cafe, both face to face and via a facebook profile. ‘Cafe Laare now has a solid reputation for offering advice, information, support and guidance for young people covering an array of issues, from asking for the time of the next bus to support over serious issues such as homelessness,’ Leanne said. ‘I am thrilled with the response to Cafe Laare and how the young people have welcomed and utilised the cafe. Staff deserve a big thank you for their commitment and “nothing is too much trouble” attitude and I’d like to thank the Youth Service, the police, our neighbours and other agencies who have welcomed the project and fully supported our ethos.’ The cafe’s first anniversary will be marked with a public open day on Saturday 29 January (1pm-6pm) when all hot drinks will be ?1. Ends