Youth clubs, often based in village halls, provide a vital focal point for young people in rural communities. But, like many areas across the country, provision has been closed and reduced in the face of cuts to local authority youth services over the past decade. A new report by the National Youth Agency (NYA) highlights the scale of the cuts and why they are particularly damaging for rural communities, and sets out a series of recommendations to breathe new life into youth provision in England’s rural towns and villages to help young people face the post-pandemic challenges.
Scale of funding cuts
The NYA’s report, Overlooked: Young People and Rural Youth Services, cites figures published by the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) on youth affairs that shows how councils covering predominately rural areas have historically spent less in total and per head terms than urban ones. Since 2011/12, spending on services for young people across England has more than halved from £787m to £324m (see graphics).
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
