A mobile ‘youth hub’ has been set up to “shift perceptions” in areas hit by youth crime and anti-social behaviour.

The hub, set up initially in Wood Green High Road, is open twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3pm to 6pm, with the aim eventually to transport it around different locations.

It aims to help youngsters aged 11 to 18 develop their life skills in a two-year pilot with Haringey Council’s ‘Young people at Risk’ strategy to reduce anti-social behaviour.

The strategy offers “constructive pathways” to careers when youngsters leave school, bringing resources into the community such as sports programmes from the Spurs Foundation and workshops run by Tottenham job centre.

“This is a crucial step in creating safer communities,” says the council’s cabinet member for children and schools Cllr Zena Brabazon. “Bringing services directly to the heart of areas that need them most offers a brighter future for young people and addresses anti-social behaviour and youth crime.”

The council is hoping to create “a lasting impact” in the community by bringing services directly to areas where they’re most needed.

The idea came out of assemblies in schools and youth centres where a demand emerged initially for more accessible support which led to the idea of using it to reduce youth crime.