Police and Youth Service workers are teaming up to put on an Urban Street Sport event this Friday (30th April).
The event - which is open to all young people - will be staged in the exercise yard of the former prison at Victoria Road, Douglas, and will consist of a soccer skills workshop, a free running demonstration and entertainment.
The driving force to organise the event is St Ninian's sixth form student Joe Brownless along with youth worker Jackie Fisher and Sergeant Ged Power of Douglas Neighbourhood Policing Team.
Sergeant Power said, "What's special about this project is the old prison will be used for something positive - encouraging fitness, giving young people the opportunity to enhance their skills, express themselves and even broaden their horizons as to what a prison environment is like.
"When doing anything for young people you have to take note of what is fashionable at the moment - and currently football is top of the tree.
"When I'm patrolling the streets of Douglas I see it a lot, and this Urban Street Sport event will enable young people to pursue their hobby in a creative way.
"The event combines elements of Wayne Rooney's Street Soccer and Brazilian beach football for a unique Manx skills fesitval of freestyle football".
Jackie Fisher commented, "The main focus of the event is aimed at young people being creative and encouraging them into something positive to distract them from anti social activities on a Friday night. This is a pilot scheme and we have lots of ideas for follow-up events in the future.
"Previously we have organised a graffiti art project and I will be taking along some of the boards created to decorate the exercise yard for Friday's Urban Street Sport event.
"The young people are organising the music. The free running demonstration is another exciting element. It has a bad press at the moment, so this is to show how much skill is involved."
Organisers hope European soccer skills finalist and Castle Rushen High School student Sara Ismail-Sutton will attend on Friday, along with local free running demonstrator Will Sutton.
They thanked various companies for providing sponsorship, prizes and equipment for Friday's event, including Sure Mobile, Star Grill, Cuplas Callow, Coca-Cola and Tel's Skips, and issued a special thank-you to the prison Governor Alison Gomme, and to the Isle of Man's Civil Defence for providing lighting for the event.
Urban Street Sport is open to all young people on the Island from Year 8 (age 13) upwards and participation and attendance are free. It will run from 7.30pm until late. For further information or queries, please call the Youth Office on 686057.
