Create it and they will come is ringing true for The Space - a hub in Manurewa for young people to hang-out after school, a space for events, study and being creative.
Established in 2017, it was only in late 2018 that the newly decorated space opened, but word has quickly spread about the venue as the place to be for local youth and community organisations.
“The response has been really positive. People are finding out about it through our the Facebook page and word of mouth,” says Manurewa Youth Council (MYC) chair Damian Piilua.
“What’s been really cool is how quickly people, particularly young people, are already starting to see it as their place – which is exactly what we want because that means they will take ownership and take care of it.”
Taking that sense of ownership to the next level and providing opportunities for personal development, MYC has recently appointed two local young people as coordinators for The Space.
Set up to offer creative programmes, run a variety of events, and an after-school drop-in centre, Damian says they have been pleasantly surprised with the different ways people are using it.
“We have intentionally set it up to be flexible. This enables the youth and community to use it how they like. It is really popular with students as an after-school study space and it is getting plenty of use from organisations hiring it for their activities.”
While relatively small in size, The Space is the start of a concept that’s been a dream of the youth council and Manurewa Local Board for many years.
“We have been advocating for a creative space in Manurewa for a very long time and this project is part of getting those discussions going. The overwhelming response to this project is proof that there is a need for a creative space,” says local board member Sarah Colcord.
“They officially opened The Space on November 1, 2018. In the first month, they had over 200 individual sign-ins.”
And while grateful to the support from Manurewa Local Board and the Manurewa Business Association for the support to set up the venture, she says the long-term vision is to have a larger and accessible facility.
“Our vision is for this space to be a hub for young people to safely explore and develop their creativity, to have the amenities to hold larger events and to be a haven to more young people and the wider community.”
Visit or hire The Space
The Space is located upstairs, 4 Station Road, Manurewa. Find out more, including booking information youth council's website or follow The Space on Facebook.
