Yoker Community Campus - our Story
“Although “the Yoker” was never a “town” with properly constructed local centres - the inhabitants regarded themselves as belonging to a distinct community in which they took great pride”.
The history of ‘the Yoker’ is irrevocably linked with the shipyards, engineering works, warehousing and transport network that was built to serve them. This ‘distinct community in which was placed great pride’ have come to understand the harsh reality of the speed of industrial and economic change.
Yoker Community Campus is based in the building of the former Yoker Secondary School. The school building and surrounding area have played an important role in the community for over a century and the original 19th Century part of the building is in itself an important landmark and symbol for the area. Illustrations from as far back as the late 1800's show the school building on the main ‘road through the village’ of Yoker.
Yoker Community Campus history begins in 1874 when “a petition was prepared and signed by 118 Yoker householders” for an elementary school to be erected for the children in Yoker.
“The landward board, however, had not been idle and work on the new school in Dumbarton Road commenced in 1876. The following year it was ready for occupation.”
In 1902 the school was extended, “serious overcrowding necessitated the addition to the premises of a further ten classrooms, a fine central hall, adequate cloakroom and washing facilities and a modern central heating system to replace the original open fires.”
During the Second World War the school was a ‘Rest Centre’, “It was provided with army beds and cooking equipment so that in the event of a home being damaged or destroyed by enemy action the family displaced could be housed here for at least one night until other accommodation could be provided.” In September of 1945 Yoker School went back to being a full-time school again. The secondary school closed in 1965 and the building was then used as a community neighbourhood and community education facility until 1995 when due to significant health and safety concerns it had to be closed completely.
In more recent years the building was used as the Yoker Youth library, a popular and successful facility for the area’s young people. The old school building lay vacant for 5 years.
For more historical information about Yoker and the Yoker School, please check out the book Both Sides of the Burn first published in 1966. “The compilation of this book began in this simple fashion. A class of 15-year olds in Yoker Secondary School was set the task, “Find out all you can about Yoker.” We have a copy available at the Campus which can be read in the new Yoker Community Library.
* all quotes are from the book “Both Sides of the Burn - the story of Yoker” by the Senior pupils of Yoker Secondary School, 1966, republished in 2000.
The Yoker Community Campus Development Company came into being in 2005 to serve the community as a learning centre for the people of Yoker and surrounding communities.
The Campus delivers a range of health, social care, employability and educational programmes across the North West Area of Glasgow. Our employability work is aimed at those of working age with a disability. The Campus provides a learning centre with meeting rooms, an IT Suite, relaxation room, community garden and café.
Our work is underpinned by the following four core values:
- We believe that every person should have opportunities to reach their potential, and to attain the best possible levels of nutrition, shelter and health.
- We believe that the best solutions are created within communities themselves and are not imposed upon them by external agencies.
- We believe that every person has intrinsic value to the community in which they live.
- We believe that services should be organised around the person they are for, and not the organisations delivering them.
Yoker Community Campus is committed to accomplishing the following objectives:
- To provide training and educational opportunities for the residents of Yoker and adjoining communities.
- To provide services that will alleviate poverty for residents of Yoker and adjoining communities.
- To provide services that will promote or improve the physical and mental health of the residents of Yoker and adjoining communities.
- To provide leisure and recreational opportunities designed to enhance the quality of life of residents of Yoker and adjoing communities.
- To promote and support other charitable organisations, projects and initiatives providing services to the residents of Yoker and adjoining communities.
