Youth work is key to government's young people plans, stresses Baroness Ritchie

Baroness Ritchie, chair of the children and young people board at the Local Government Association, told delegates at the Confederation of Heads of Young People’s Services (Chyps) conference that youth work was not viewed as a "luxury add-on" by the coalition government and that it remained of vital importance.

She said: "Youth work is essential to meet the coalition government’s aspirations for young people. We know the contribution that youth work makes to the lives of young people – for many it’s the pivotal moment that sets them on the path to success."

She added that youth work will be "at the heart" of enabling young people to play an active role in the big society. "The big society is about building communities that are empowered to take control of their own futures and to create solutions working with local citizens," she said. "Youth work helps them understand their role in communities and to become active and engaged citizens."

Her comments come as a CYP Now survey reveals that 95 per cent of local authorities that responded are having to make cuts to their youth services following reductions in public spending.

The government and local authorities have also been criticised recently for not understanding how youth work can save society money in the longer term by intervening early in young people’s lives. But Ritchie said during her speech that the economic value of youth work "cannot be overestimated". "The cost-effectiveness of youth work in preventing a range of later negative outcomes for young people is proven. So we must protect and continue to provide great youth work for our young people," she said.

But services will need to become better at engaging young people in the decision-making process, she said. "It’s clear that all provision is improved if decision-makers include young people in that decision-making process. We know that research from Ofsted shows that the highest performing youth services made young people’s voice and influence a priority," she said.