MPs from across England have pledged to spend an hour visiting a youth work programme in their constituency as part of a drive to promote the value of youth work.
To celebrate Youth Work Week 2012 (5-12 November), the National Youth Agency (NYA) asked MPs in England to visit a local youth work project. Now 48 MPs have committed to taking part, pledging to visit youth centres and drop in on youth work schemes as varied as football projects and lunch clubs.
Some MPs have already visited their local youth work project. On Saturday, youth minister Edward Timpson visited a National Citizen Service “Experience of a Lifetime” event in Crewe.
Timpson, said: “It was great to have the chance to see the National Citizenship Service in action here in Crewe and see the benefits that youth work in the community can bring.
“The young people I met from a range of backgrounds clearly felt the experience was a positive way to learn new skills, gain in confidence and help prepare them for their next stage of life.”
Fiona Blacke, chief executive of the NYA, said: “Youth workers provide a hugely important and varied service by working with young people in their own communities. We are pleased that so many MPs want to see this first hand.
“Youth workers may be formally employed or volunteers, but in both cases play a vital role in helping young people make a positive contribution to society. This may involve supporting their personal and social development, preparing young people for the world of work, or helping them learn new skills.”
Youth Work Week is an annual celebration of youth work organised by the National Youth Agency (NYA) since 1993. This year, for the first time, the NYA partnered with the Commonwealth Secretariat, making it a truly international celebration, promoting youth work in 54 countries across six continents.
