Political parties urged to make youth services statutory
Neil Puffett and Joe Lepper
Wednesday, May 10, 2017
A youth charity has called on political parties contesting the general election to boost youth services by making them statutory.
Under the proposals, each local authority would be required to have a youth services strategy. It is one of a number of measures being called for by youth organisation YMCA England & Wales as part of its election manifesto following discussions with young people across England, Scotland and Wales.
Labour's Jeremy Corbyn has previously pledged to pursue statutory youth services when he ran to become leader. The Conservative government recently made the National Citizen Service statutory, but has resisted calls to do the same for wider youth services.
Ahead of the general election on 8 June, YMCA said it also wants parties to pledge to invest in early intervention mental health services for young people in schools and communities, and ensure all students in school or college have access to careers information, advice and guidance delivered by professional specialists.
It also wants the regulations that remove automatic entitlement to housing support for 18- to 21-year-olds to be abolished.
Denise Hatton, chief executive of YMCA England & Wales, said: "YMCAs work in 740 communities across England and Wales and, as such, we know first-hand what young people are going through and what the next government needs to do to improve their lives and prospects.
"Young people have told us what must change to give them the best start in life and we call on the next government to sit up and listen.
"Without access to secure housing, meaningful careers, improved training and better mental and physical health support we fear this generation will be left behind as Brexit negotiations and policies to favour other age groups are prioritised."
Meanwhile, a campaign group is calling for youth work be placed at the heart of politicians' election pledges around improving the employability of young people.
The 99% Campaign said that youth work offers vital help to young people, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, in developing new skills and accessing employment and training opportunities.
Volunteering and social action opportunities provided by youth work are also crucial to developing skills for the workplace and encouraging entrepreneurship among young people, the charity's Young People's Manifesto states.
It calls for "support of youth-led initiatives that promote youth employability, entrepreneurship and youth innovation".
It also wants provision of high-quality non-formal education and access to opportunities that support young people, especially those from marginalised communities, to enhance their skills.
The group is also urging young people aged over 18 to ensure they are registered to vote.
Of those that voted in last year's referendum on EU membership, 75 per cent voted to remain, according to YouGov polling cited by the campaign group.
"Voting lays at the heart of democracy," said Dr Theo Gavrielides, founder and director of the Independent Academic Research Studies International Institute, the charity that hosts the 99% campaign.
"Young voter turnout levels are important in assessing the legitimacy and health of this country's democracy. With the future of education, employment and welfare policies being at stake, political engagement is not optional."
