WASP Youth Club is part of the Whitehawk After School Project. The WASP Youth Club is for 8–13-year-olds living in Whitehawk East Brighton one of the most deprived areas in the country. It provides a safe place where young people can meet each other, learn new skills – including cooking, sports, and social skills – and have fun whilst receiving positive adult attention and encouragement.

In 2013, the club was close to closure and the children would have been left with no safe place to interact after school hours. The ALMT approved funding for two years to support the club to get back on its feet. The start of year two sees the club looking much healthier with other funders coming on board, attendance at the club increasing and more activities for the young people.

Many of the members live in poverty with parents who can give them little time or positive attention as they are dealing with mental health, domestic violence, drug, or alcohol issues and often a combination of these. Many of the children have additional needs such as emotional/behavioural difficulties, learning difficulties and/or physical disabilities and some have caring responsibilities. All activities are play based and with expert staff, children learn new skills including respect for themselves and each other, spelling, social skills, how to keep themselves safe and about the world outside the estate.

Healthy food and drinks are always available which the children help to prepare and serve. Vital support is provided during the transition from primary to secondary school which is particularly difficult for these children as the nearest secondary schools are some distance away. The skills children learn whilst they are at WASP are carried with them as they get older and leave. They are more confident and better equipped for secondary school and beyond and they have experienced life outside of their estate and City.