And closer links between youth work and libraries doesn't mean playing five-a-side football among the aisles, as one sceptic scoffed when encountering the idea of mixing the two disciplines. In Sunderland, youth services run "learning support projects", similar to homework clubs, in partnership with library services. Some of the city's libraries also house youth projects or youth information centres.
Staff from the two services work well together, says Andy Neal, acting principal youth officer in the city. "If working with libraries fits in with our agenda then I'm all in favour; after all, we're an education service," he points out.
Neal says one librarian was so enthused by the homework clubs that she retrained to become a part-time sessional youth worker.
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