Youth services: Self-promotion

In a perfect world, local communities and councils would understand and value what youth services do. As it is, many services bemoan the fact that councillors are not interested in their work and don't turn up at their events. They also complain that it is difficult to gain good media coverage and that the press portrays all young people as yobs and troublemakers.

"It's not surprising that many youth services have a chip on their shoulders," says Jane Hayward, chief executive of the Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC). "For many years they haven't been funded properly and have been under lots of pressure. But in these situations you can either be the victim or you can control your destiny and make it happen. Youth services should be thinking, 'what can we do to make this better?'. "