• 540 households in receipt of less than 60% of the national average household income after housing costs (2008);
• 420 claimants of Housing and Council Tax Benefit (2005);
• 695 families (in Aug 2006) in receipt of tax credits (indicating lower incomes); and
• 147 lone parent households (2001).

Survey evidence confirms Billingshurst's role as something of a hub for sport and social activities, and a natural location for such a facility. Of Weald pupils responding to a survey, 87% said that creating a centralised youth facility was a good idea. A range of venues were suggested, but there was a consensus that the location should be central, near The Weald School, but not at the school.Local police confirm that a lack of things to do and places to go contributes to anti-social behaviour (ASB) in Billinghurst, as young people congregate in the station and shopping areas. There was a significant increase in recorded ASB incidents in 2009/10 (to 470 annual incidents). The police have been addressing this in a number of ways (with positive results), but without sufficient suitable indoor space for young people to congregate, this issue remains a challenge. The village lacks youth specific venues. For example there are no suitable cafes, and although the TAG Youth Club at the village hall, and associated activities are popular, there are issues with both capacity and conflict with non-youth centre users. With the pending closure of the on-site Weald Youth Wing, West Sussex County Council has indicated a willingness to fund the staffing of new youth club type provision in the village.Local young people (surveyed through The Weald School) have expressed enthusiasm for the EYE concept , a preference for a central facility (but off the school site), and strong preference for informal meeting space, with refreshment area and facilities like pool, table tennis and computers. They are also interested in social events like music and club nights, and a wide range of workshop type activities. The Weald School have identified a number of ways in which they would like to use space at the EYE during the day, as well as surplus space after school and in the evenings. These uses would both enhance the range and variety of youth provision, enable the provision of activities which benefit from a 'non-school' atmosphere and location, and provide a core income to support the centre's running costs. The Billingshurst Children's and Young Peoples Centre have similarly expressed interest in renting space (although it is recognised that all uses will need to be compatible with the youth specific focus).BCP have visited several comparable facilities in the wider area, which offer some of the features and facilities proposed at the EYE. In particular, the scope to use the EYE as an access point for health advice and information has been identified.

1. Introduction
Billingshurst Community Partnership (BCP), and their partner organisations within the area, have identified a potential need/opportunity to create a dedicated youth facility in Billingshurst. It is envisaged that this might provide informal meeting/social space for young people (aged 11-18), plus a range of supporting sport, recreational, leisure, educational, lifestyle and health services. It is envisaged the EYE would be a place for a number of groups of young people: primarily local young people within walking distance; but also other Weald School pupils and other young people in the wider catchment who lack facilities in their own villages/rural areas. As an informal space, it is hoped that EYE would particularly support those young people who do not engage in formal youth activities whether because of access, choice or income. BCP have commissioned Wood From The Trees Ltd (WFTT) to provide an independent review of the available evidence of demand. The purpose of this is to both evaluate and demonstrate the need for the facility to partners, and provide base evidence to support fund-raising submissions should the project proceed. The report draws on both statistical sources, and interviews with key persons involved with supporting and dealing with young people in Billingshurst.

2. Strategic background
The need for such a facility has been indicated by a number of research based strategic exercises, including:Billingshurst Parish Plan 2008-13: which identifies amongst key issues to address; a lack of organised activities for young people; a lack of facilities for young people; and the need for the provision of a youth cafe (informal social space). Billingshurst Community Partnership Plan 2009-12: which identifies facilities for young people as a priority, and commits to:

• Working toward providing a central Youth Facility away from the school campus;
• developing even closer links with young people in order to ensure that youth projects are tailor-made to meet their needs; and
• providing more outdoor, informal sports and play facilities for teenagers.

• Improving access to social and leisure facilities for individuals without private transport;
• focussing resources on young people...with no or low qualifications; and
• supporting facilities to widen access and increase participation to enable people on limited incomes , including young people, to have equal access to local amenities

• Some 14% households with less than 60% of the national average household income after housing costsⁱⁱⁱ (estimated at 540 households^iv);
• 420 claimants of Housing and Council Tax Benefit (in Aug05), of which 325 were single claimants;
• 695 families (in Aug 2006) in receipt of tax credits (indicating lower incomes), with an increase of 5.3% over the previous year; and
• 147 lone parent households (2001).

Such families are likely to particularly benefit from new affordable and accessible youth facilities.

5. Facility use patterns
The Billingshurst Sustainable Services Study^v investigated use patterns for a range of services in the village and its hinterland area, based upon a major survey of resident service use patterns. The study identified Billingshurst as an important hub for a range of social, sport and young people's activities for people living within its wider catchment area (defined as The Weald School catchment). For example:

• Some 42% residents of the wider catchment area who attend any social activities or clubs visit Billingshurst for this purpose;
• some 47% who use any sports and fitness facilities access them in Billingshurst;
• some 62% who use any training and education classes access them in Billingshurst; and
• some 58% of families who use social activities for children access them in Billingshurst.

School based clubs are very important for local young people. A survey of pupils at The Weald School^vi found that just under half of pupils (who responded to the survey) attended some form of after school club, with sports clubs being most popular. Other clubs attended included homework, IT/engineering, music, health, youth and art activities.

Place of residence did not noticeably influence involvement in after school clubs. This reflects a desire to do activities with friends/familiar people, a lack of activities in rural areas and other villages and accessibility, with late buses home running on club nights. The potential for EYE to enable en extension of after school activities is addressed later in this report.Half of the sample of Weald students attended some form of sports activity other than school clubs with Billingshurst an important centre, used by one-third of those who take part in out of school sports. Some 35% of the sample of young people said that they attended youth groups or regular social activities for young people. The trend was to use the closest facility to home. The survey showed that a significant proportion of young people are enthusiastic about potential new facilities and activities. For example, over 70% said that they and/or their family would use the new swimming pool at The Weald site at weekends/evenings once it was complete.A more recent survey amongst Weald pupils^vii investigated responses to the concept of a dedicated youth facility, and sought views on activities and facilities to provide. Of the two waves of responses, received at March 2009 and November 2010 (some 511 in total), 87% said that creating a centralised youth facility was a good idea. A range of venues were suggested, but there was a consensus that the location should be central, near The Weald School, but not at the school.

6. Youth problems/Issues
A lack of places to go and things to do has contributed to anti-social behaviour (ASB) problems in Billingshurst in recent years. For example, during the year to March 2010 police recorded 470 incidents of ASB, representing 15% of all incidents in Horsham District and an increase of 49% on the previous year^viii. These were largely linked with groups of young people congregating around the station and shopping areas.Police have since focussed resources on addressing these issues with an array of measures, with a positive impact on the number of ASB incidents (reported as down some 36% since action has been taken). The local PCSO told us that the new Youth Shelter, Ball Park and Station Road Gardens have had a positive impact, as he can now suggest that young people move on to these locations (although these are, or course, outdoor facilities), but he is concerned about the planned closure of the youth wing. Local police confirmed that to avoid a future increase in ASB, they would welcome a new youth facility as a useful place to connect and get to know local young people, as well as providing a positive activity and place to congregate.

7. Current Provision for Young People
Current regular provision of youth specific services in Billingshurst include:

• TAG Youth Club: which is based at the Village Hall and meets once a week. The club was oversubscribed for some time with up to 40 people attending on peak nights. Numbers have fallen recently as the dominant group of now 16 year olds have moved on, but a growing group of Year 7s are now attending, with numbers expected to increase rapidly. The space and staffing comfortably accommodate about 25 people a night.
• Youth Church Groups: at the Family Church (meeting at the Junior School) and St Marys Church. The latter meets on Friday evening and tends to attract younger people, with late teens involved as helpers. These tend to attract church attending families only.
• Scout, Guide and Explorers groups: based at Billingshurst Scout Hut. This venue is temporarily out of action because of the need to remove asbestos.
• A weekly young people's table tennis club based at the village hall.

• Barns Green Community Centre
• Slinfold
• Plaistow
• Rudgwick (sessions after school and evening three times a week geared to different age groups)
• Wisborough Green (a new facility planning to run 3 evenings a month).
• Pulborough
• Horsham

• Conflict with other, non-youth, users at Billingshurst Village Hall, who can find groups of young people intimidating and prefer a quieter venue;
• the need to put away equipment at the end of each session in a shared facility, and restrictions on creating an environment attractive to young people where the space is not dedicated;
• youth provision in rural villages only accessible by private transport or those who can walk safely;
• fragility of funding for youth workers; and
• problems recruiting adult volunteer helpers.

• The need for flexible spaces close to the school to accommodate a range of needs as school admissions remain high;
• large spaces for school and non-school drama projects and performances both during the day, after school and in the evening;
• open access exhibitions (school and community);
• flexible space providing performance space, training rooms and IT to support delivery of the new Level 2 diplomas in Creative and Media, and Sport and Leisure;
• DoE award training;
• overflow training and meeting spaces, for example for the sixth form;
• personal development and management courses and sessions which benefit from a non classroom, and off-site venue: including KS3 core skills and personal management; Certificate of Personal Effectiveness; Counselling sessions; anger management; and
• a 'hub' facility serving a group of local secondary schools and providing specialised support for students who are at the margins of coping with mainstream school.

• Health advice and information sessions and drop-in such as sexual health, including advice and STD testing; pre and post natal discussions;
• police and PCSO sessions and contact;
• studio, recording facilities;
• different club nights for different age groups;
• kitchen/cooking facilities;
• outdoor shelters/spaces ; and
• pre and post natal support