Additional 20,000 uniformed youth group places created

The original aim of the Uniformed Youth Social Action Fund, established by government in 2014 was to create 15,000 additional places by March this year.

But Lindsay Levkoff Lynn, chief executive of Youth United Foundation, which distributed the money on behalf of government, told CYP Now that the target has been exceeded by 5,000.

“It has proved the value of working through an established network that can scale at a really effective but fast way for young people at a time when other things are being cut,” Levkoff Lynn told CYP Now.

?“We’re not saying uniformed youth work is the only thing that is good for young people but given there are so many things that are retrenching and opportunities for young people are declining we are really excited we can play our part and it feels good that we are doing more than we hoped.”

Under the initiative, funding was provided to the 10 organisation members of the Youth United Network, which includes Girlguiding UK, the Scout Association and St John Ambulance.

Financial support was also given to four additional uniformed groups following a bidding process – the Church Lads’ & Girls’ Brigade, Woodcraft Folk, Catholic Guides in Northern Ireland, and the Jewish Lads’ & Girls’ Brigade, which was voted in as a full member of the network in November last year.

Looking ahead, Levkoff Lynn said the network will keep working to make sure the units that have been established are sustainable, as well as striving to create more places in disadvantaged areas, and provide more social action activities for young people joining groups.

“The money isn’t for one year of provision,” she said.

“It is to set up a unit that then continues in the community so we’ll be focusing a lot over the next few months on making sure the units are sustainable and that the adult volunteers are supported and are able to continue with this on their own.”