Stephen Metcalfe, local MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock recently got a grilling from the young people at Southern Hay Youth Hub.
The Hub provides an informal education, social and personal development service for young people across Basildon. Amongst many other services, it delivers an Alternative Education Programme five days per week for students in year 11 who, for whatever reason, are struggling to engage well in formal schooling.
Stephen participated in a lively Q&A with young people from the programme and was quizzed on a variety of topics including petrol prices, housing benefit and crime.
The Q&A follows on from a visit to the Hub last year as part of National Youth Work Week and Mr Metcalfe is keen to retain strong ties with the organisation.
He commented: “I was delighted once again to have the opportunity to visit the Youth Hub and to see firsthand the fantastic work of the Alternative Education programme. The students were enthusiastic and certainly gave me lots of think about in the question and answer session! I hope that they enjoyed it as much as I did.”
Jane Herbert, the Curriculum Development Coordinator for Essex Youth Service, said: “The young people very much enjoyed the time with Stephen. He was very open and honest about a wide range of issues from immigration laws to more personal questions about his family and whether or not he had met David Cameron!”
Mr Metcalfe added: “I would like to reiterate my thanks to all of the dedicated staff at the Hub who provide these young people with a much needed lifeline. The Hub makes such a difference to the lives of the young people in my constituency and I will continue to support their work in whatever way I can.”