It's a hard knock life for young people these days. But not all is doom and gloom, finds Niki May Young.

It's been ten years since I was 17. I remember on my last day of school pausing, all covered in egg and flour, hand in the air to retaliate, and being suddenly struck with the absolute terror of 'what next?'. The oval swiftly dropped from my hand and crashed onto my own feet. What if I didn't get into university? Would I never find a job? I never once considered going to a charity to help me progress my passion for journalism... but back then the best I could hope for was a short course in creative writing at the local university. Not so nowadays.

Fast-forward and we reach last night, and my attendance at the Channel 4 offices for a call-to-action for somewhereto_.

Created by youth engagement agency Livity in collaboration with Channel 4, somewhereto_ is the signature of Olympic legacy according to Clive Jones OBE, trustee of the project's funder, the Legacy Trust and 'Godfather' of the project. He calls it the "ultimate property dating agency", and the objective is simple - to find places for young people to use to further their passion, whatever it may be. Calling on businesses and individuals to provide redundant or available spaces, the project had already gathered around 150 locations around the UK before it's official launch and is managed by regional coordinators in London, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the North East.

It's easy to dismiss an Olympic legacy project as a convoluted corporate fad. But speaking with some of its benefactors last night, it was clear that this is not the case with somewhereto_.

Celeste is the 19-year-old editor of Live magazine, London's very own youth-run magazine run by Livity, taking full advantage of the somewhereto_ initiative. This summer Celeste took to the 'green, not red' carpet at the somewhereto_ stage at T4 on the Beach to interview a host of young celebrities supporting the scheme. "It's brought me amazing opportunities," she gushed, "How else would I get to interview Katy B or Chipmunk or anyone else?"

Promotional films showed kids using outdoor spaces as a canvas for creativity, and Westminster Palace to record a dance video.

The Olympic-link has encouraged a not-so-shabby club of corporate partners too, from Google to O2 to Parliament. Charity partners include Catch22, Land Aid and UnLtd. 

I was curious how Livity managed to swing the partnership with Channel 4 in the first place. Jo Twist, commissioning editor at Channel 4 Education cast a light on the collaboration:

"We know Livity very well through their work with young people and as an organisation we're trying to reach out to 14-19 year olds in new and different ways. We try to create life skills and confidence rather than just curriculum-based education. somewhereto_ fitted that remit," she said.

Jo advised that somewhereto_ is a symbiotic programme:

"Letting young people into your work space can bring you so many benefits. If you're trying to connect with a youth market, having contact with them on a day-to-day basis gives you a much deeper understanding of the way they are. 

"Even if you're not directly associated with young people giving up your space to them can just liven the whole place. If a space is sitting there unused, letting young people in can open up opportunities both for them and for you."

We hear every day in the news all the clichés about troubled youths committing crimes, about gangs and fights, and stabbings and shootings. We see kids in the street with hardened faces. And to some extent it's a very different world for the UK Youth than it was ten years ago, in some ways much tougher, but in other ways much better. Projects like somewhereto_ highlight the new opportunities that are available to young people and a different direction and professionalism in connection to encouraging young people to make something of their lives. Big Society or no Big Society, the opportunities are growing. It makes me wonder what I could have been experienced had I had somewhereto_ when I was starting out...

If you have a space to donate to the somewhereto_ scheme check out the website for details of how to get involved.