UK Youth renews calls to invest in youth work

UK Youth has called for increased investment in youth work after a report revealed cuts to youth services risked creating a “lost generation” of young people.

New research by trade union Unison has found funding cuts have led to the closure of more than two thirds of council-run youth centres in England and Wales since 2010, leaving “young people unable to access vital support at a crucial time in their lives”.

Unison said: “The loss of so many facilities and the specialist workers who run them has put teenagers at risk of isolation, being swept into gang and knife culture, or taking part in anti-social activities on the streets.”

The findings echo UK Youth-backed research published earlier this year. The suite of Government-funded studies, commissioned by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, found funding for youth work has fallen by more than 60 per cent in a decade. From 2011-21, local authority youth provision funding in England fell in real terms from £1,058.2 million to £408.5m. 

And when this preventative support is taken away, young people are more vulnerable to crime and other anti-social behaviour. Reductions in local youth provision are associated with a rise in certain types of crime and anti-social behaviour, including bike thefts, weapon possession offences and shoplifting.  

Jacob Diggle, UK Youth chief impact officer, said: “Youth work is life changing, and even lifesaving, but young people have been disproportionately affected by cost-cutting measures in recent years. Thousands of youth centres across the country have had to reduce their opening hours and hundreds have closed their doors for good.

“Youth work is one of the most effective preventative interventions we’ve got. UK Youth’s research with the Institute for Government has shown that youth workers are an essential resource to help solve the problems facing young people: improving their mental health and wellbeing; enhancing skills and employment prospects; and reducing crime and anti-social behaviour.

“Our research also shows us that when this preventative support is taken away, young people are more vulnerable to a range of harms. Reductions in local youth provision are associated with a rise in certain types of crime and anti-social behaviour, including: bike thefts, weapon possession offences, and shoplifting. 

“Increasing investment in quality youth work is not just a moral imperative, it has much wider economic value. UK Youth’s Untapped research with Frontier Economics has shown that increasing investment in youth work can transform the lives of millions and save our country billions every year through improving employment, health outcomes or reducing crime.

“We urge the next Government to reverse these cuts and guarantee sustainable investment in quality youth work for the next generation, for the benefit of the whole country.”

Unison echoed the call, saying the issue of cuts to youth services “has to be taken seriously by the next government when it considers the financial support given to councils”.

UK Youth is a leading charity with a vision that all young people are equipped to thrive and empowered to contribute at every stage of their lives. With an open network of more than 8,000 youth organisations and nation partners; UK Youth reaches more than four million young people across the UK and is focused on unlocking youth work as the catalyst of change that is needed now more than ever. To find out more, visit ukyouth.org 

UK Youth is involved in a range of programmes designed to help young people thrive, such as outdoor learning, physical literacy, social action and employability, including Hatch, a youth employability programme run in partnership with KFC. For more on UK Youth’s programmes, see ukyouth.org/what-we-do/programmes