HeadSpace

HeadSpace is the library space designed by young people where they can read, meet and volunteer.

We are currently working with local authorities where HeadSpaces are being developed and run in equal partnership between young volunteers and their local libraries. Over 3,500 young people have already been involved in HeadSpace activities. The HeadSpace network is continuing to grow. If you are a library or school considering a library refurbishment or development and would like to involve young people contact Sue Jones for more information.

More than 125 young people have got involved as regular volunteers in choosing books and other stock, deciding how the HeadSpace looks and delivering the activities that go on in their libraries. We are also opening HeadSpace through our Participate programme

"I am doing some volunteering at HeadSpace Folkestone - it's really good because I've also just started doing some youth work and it's helping me with that." Rachel Tubby, HeadSpace Folkestone

HeadSpace provides a model for delivering the national Library Youth Offer and is meeting the urgent need up and down the county for free, safe spaces where young people can take part in positive activities. It gives a clear message that young people are welcomed in libraries and their participation is valued. It's been particularly successful at getting young people who are socially excluded involved.

Read the HeadSpace report on the impact the project has had in its first three years.

Thornton Heath Headspace

Croydon Library Service celebrated the first few months of its successful Thornton Heath Headspace (the only one in London) with an evening showcasing its activities on 9 March. Planned by the Headspace young people, families, friends and invited guests were treated to an evening which highlighted the diverse range of Headspace activities. These include Manga Workshops, author events, a Homework Club which meets three times a week, talks from community groups and creative reading and writing opportunities.

After song, dance and drumming presentations from the young people, H. Patten entertained with an Afro-Caribbean storytelling session which could have gone on all night. Miranda McKearney presented the prize to the winner of the "What's Your Headspace?" competition and the evening ended with everyone enjoying the Headspace cake. For more information about Headspace and young people led reading spaces in libraries, contact Sue Jones.

Random House Teenage Kicks event

Publishers who are part of our Reading Partners scheme also have the opportunity to get involved with HeadSpace. Random House have responded enthusiastically and have been working with young people from HeadSpace High Wycombe to design and run Teenage Kicks 2 - an event for young people and librarians. They are being joined by three of Random House's top three authors for teenagers Malorie Blackman, Bali Rai and Jenny Downham. Read more about the event.

Sign up

If you are refurbishing or building a new library space in your school, public library or youth centre you can sign up to HeadSpace and get all the consultancy, training and support needed to involve young people.

For more information about how to develop your own HeadSpace download further information from Resources. There's information for public library authorities and for authorities that are already running HeadSpaces. Or contact Sue Jones, senior project manager.

"It's really good that we've got the HeadSpace, because there is nothing to do for young people locally - you would be amazed how many young people come to the library on a now we have got our own space."
Khalid Amin, young volunteer at HeadSpace Haslingden

Other support for young people

HeadSpace is part of our package of programmes to support work with young people.

Anyone working with young people, librarians, teachers, youth workers, education officers, etc, can subscribe to our innovative social reading website - groupthing.org. groupthing provides creative opportunities for young people to read, review, write, listen, chat and create original work.

Alternatively, libraries can join all their work with young people together by signing up to our new modular programme, Participate.

Open HeadSpaces

There are now HeadSpaces in:

East Midlands
Buxton Library, Derbyshire
Corby Library, Northamptonshire
Worksop Library, Nottinghamshire

London
Thornton Heath Library, Croydon

North West
Halewood Library, Knowsley
Halton Lea Library, Halton
Haslingden Library, Lancashire
High Street Library, Bolton
Longsight Library, Manchester

South East
Burgess Road Library, Southampton
Café IT, Folkestone, Kent
Crawley Library, West Sussex
High Wycombe Library, Buckinghamshire
Lordswood Library, Medway

South West
Barcode Youth Café, North Somerset
Central Library, Swindon
Efford Library, Plymouth
Hartcliffe Library, Bristol
Lyme Regis Library, Dorset
Melksham Library, Wiltshire
Padstow Library, Cornwall

West Midlands
Chelmsley Wood Library, Solihull

"We'll be there in the library for when a child or teenager comes in - we will be talking to them about books and suggesting books that we think they will really like. HeadSpace is going to make a difference." Sameeha Patel, volunteer at HeadSpace Bolton"

Tags: librarians, public, youth clubs