National Youth Agency: Comment -- Beyond the spending review

We already know from CYP Now's recent For Youth's Sake survey that the majority of local authorities anticipate making significant cuts to their services for young people.

We also discovered that many community and voluntary sector projects are experiencing a drop in their funding, at a time when the government is looking to this sector to support its big society agenda. As a result, there is a real danger that the most vulnerable young people in our society are not going to be supported at a time when they need help and guidance the most.

At the National Youth Agency we know that good youth work helps young people understand their role within their communities, and that it is often youth workers that help the most disadvantaged young people re-engage with learning or work. However, we recognise that some local authorities may need to review the way in which their services are delivered, and that for some, the solution will be to explore new models of providing services. In these circumstances, we would argue that it is important that the quality of provision is maintained, and that young people are still involved in the decisions that affect them.