Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
Established in 1978, Clapton Youth Centre was administered by the Inner London Education Authority (ILEA) and managed on a day-to-day basis by Jean Tate (Tutor Warden) with the support of Anslem Samuel (Tutor-in-Charge). With Black young people from the Hackney area comprising the majority of its membership, the Centre developed objectives that included the development of an anti-racist policy, involvement with community and political groups in relation to issues of concern to the Black community, and the encouragement of collective decision-making (members were encouraged to participate in meetings, training, and briefing sessions).
The majority of evening sessions consisted of a variety of activities and classes, including art, dance, photography, sport, sewing, and steelband, while Monday evenings were reserved for girls and women only. Occasional special events held by the Centre included Cultural Open Evenings and an exhibition of photographs taken by members of the Centre. A number of residential Centre Development weekends were held for both staff and members, with the aim of examining the philosophy and strategies of the Centre.
The Centre closed in November 1983 following a dispute between Jean Tate and Anslem Samuel and ILEA regarding the management of the Centre.