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UK Youth has urged the Government to invest in youth work – and reap the financial and social benefits long-term.
We were invited to share our thoughts as part of the Government’s spending review. The review is helping shape departmental budgets for the coming years, including money for health, education and transport, as well as how the government will invest in research and infrastructure to drive economic growth across the country.
UK Youth research shows investment in the youth sector reaps rewards, both financially and socially. Our Untapped research shows that for every £1 invested in youth work, the benefit to the taxpayer is at least £3.20 through improved physical and mental health and reduced crime.
A separate study, funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, found young people who experienced youth work made for happier, healthier and wealthier adults than those who did not – while reductions in youth service provision led to rises in anti-social behaviour and crime.
Laura Cunliffe-Hall, UK Youth head of policy and public affairs, said: “Investment in youth service infrastructure is a necessary and high-value intervention that will deliver long-term economic and social benefits. Strategic investment in youth services reduces pressure on acute public services, including mental health, criminal justice, education, and welfare.
“Youth work reduces anti-social behaviour and crime – including violent crime – by providing young people with trusted mentors and safe spaces. Indeed, the Government’s commitment to halve knife crime and violence against women and girls cannot be achieved without expansion of youth work services.”
The call for investment comes on the back of studies showing local authority youth service funding in England has been cut by 73 per cent, £1.2 billion, since 2010, leading to the closure of more than 600 youth centres and the loss of more than 1,500 qualified youth workers.
The Government has pledged to support young people with a “National Youth Strategy designed to put the views of young people at the centre of decision-making on policies that affect them”, alongside a new youth guarantee “to ensure every 18-21 year old in England is earning or learning”.
Laura said: “The National Youth Strategy needs to be appropriately funded to provide much-needed certainty for the youth sector. Sustainable, long-term investment for youth sector provision is key. We urge the Government to ensure any new strategy provides the necessary financial guarantee for youth services to best enable the sector to break down barriers to opportunity for all.
“While the Government has been publicly supportive of the work of the sector, and keen to highlight its significance for young people, another reduction in investment at this year’s Spending Review will risk pushing the sector over the brink, and with it, support for the country’s young people.”
About UK Youth
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 9,000 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. For more on UK Youth’s programmes, see ukyouth.org/what-we-do/programmes
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