THE much-loved Dunoon ‘Youthie’ is making its return later this month, now reimagined as Social 22 — a modern, inclusive hangout for young people.
Located at 22 Kirk Street within the Dunoon Foodbank and Community Hub, the space will offer a welcoming environment for secondary school-aged youth to connect, unwind, and enjoy a range of fun activities.
The idea for Social 22 came directly from young people themselves. A local consultation and school surveys in 2024 highlighted a strong need for a youth club, with key interests including sport, arts and crafts, film, media and drama.
Mental health, bullying and boredom were also raised as major concerns. The Cowal Youth Forum also support the work of Social 22 and have been involved in some decision making in the initial setup.
Importantly, young people wanted a relaxed, informal vibe — not a traditional ‘youth club’ — which led to the name Social 22.
The club’s logo was designed by a Dunoon Grammar School pupil following a community competition and a junior committee will soon be established to ensure the voices of regular attendees help shape activities and decisions going forward.
The project is being led by a committee of eight dedicated adults with experience supporting local young people, in partnership with organisations such as Police Scotland, Planet Youth and Dunoon Grammar School.
Social 22 Chairperson and Police Scotland Youth Engagement Officer Rachael Wells said: “The local response has been fantastic. More than 15 volunteers have offered their time, and we’ve received generous donations from the community. We’d like to thank Sharon Erskine and her team at Let’s Grow Kids, Ann Campbell at Dunoon Community Development Trust, Anne Brown, Yvonne MacIntyre, Cot House Services, Mossvale Window Cleaning and many others for their kindness and support.”
Social 22 will run weekly on Friday evenings, 6pm– 9pm, with a £1 entry fee to support activities and running costs. A tuck shop will also be available. The group will hire the Kirk Street premises from Dunoon Community Foodbank, and both organisations are looking forward to working together to create a space that’s safe, warm and led by the needs of the young people it serves.
To mark the launch, the team is hosting a community open evening on Friday, April 25, from 6:30pm to 9:00pm at the Kirk Street hub. Everyone is welcome to attend, meet the volunteers, and see what’s planned.
You can also keep up to date by following Social 22 on social media, where news, events and photos will be shared regularly.
This is just the beginning for Social 22 — a space shaped with young people, for young people, and proudly supported by the community that surrounds them.
