Ten jobs are to be axed following the announcement that a project which provides a lifeline for children and families is closing.

The Children’s Society Waves project in St Mary Street, Weymouth, will be shutting at the end of next month after 25 years.

Over time it has acted as an advice hub for young people to support mental wellbeing while also offering guidance and counselling for a range of issues including those who have suffered domestic abuse.

Dara de Burca, Director of Services at The Children’ Society said: “It is with great sadness that we are announcing the closure of the services we run at Waves in Weymouth.

“Funding for these services is due to come to an end in April. We’ve done all that we can to find alternative sources of funding without success. After careful consideration of the services we run, their sustainability and the scale of funding needed, we have decided to close Waves.”

She added: “We know this will come as very sad news to the young people and families we are supporting, staff and volunteers at the centre, our supporters and others in the community.

“We will direct young people and their families to alternative services in the community where they are available.

“We know there is great demand for mental health services for children and young people both locally and across the country, and we would urge the government to look at increasing appropriate mental health services with greater speed and scale if they are to meet that demand. We are working with the NHS to increase capacity and ensure all young people get the help they need.

“We want to thank our dedicated staff and volunteers over 25 years for their enduring hard work and commitment to improving the lives of young people facing disadvantage in the area.”

Gary Thomas, The Children’s Society’s Director for the South of England, said: “At the moment, we are working with individual members of staff to make sure they’re okay. The posts they are working in will be made redundant. We will be supporting them to find future employment. Two to three members of staff have been there for more than 15 years. This difficult decision has been even harder for them.”

A total of 10 members of staff work at Waves, both in full time and part time roles.

Mr Thomas added there is a chance Waves could survive for a few years if funding is secured before the end of April.

Weymouth youth worker Tom Lane from the Steps Club for Young People said: “This is very sad news for the borough and for young people locally. Waves has been providing an exceptional service for young people, including those who are most vulnerable and at risk, for such a long time.

“Youth services both in Dorset and around the country have been decimated and this is yet another blow to the support given to local young people.”

Concerned parent Gemma Duggan from Weymouth said: “My daughter has used the service for the last couple of years. I am devastated, I have been racking my brain for weeks trying to think of something I can do to help. It will be a huge loss to Weymouth. There’s nowhere else

you can access that sort of thing in the area.

“CAMHS are under so much pressure these days, Waves was a good stop gap for people who can’t get help from CAMHS at that precise moment, until something else comes up.”