Opinion: Politicians have woken up to needs of young
Howard Williamson
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
When Haymarket's first Young People Now was published in January 2003, my column was concerned with the huge gulf between the rhetoric and reality of government youth policy.
John Denham, then minister for youth, was seeking to renew the momentum on key policy challenges, such as teenage pregnancy and school exclusion.
Four and a half years later, we are being bombarded with similar rhetoric, though thankfully the focus it encapsulates is more on opportunities than problems. Children and young people are being discussed in a new light - with thinking directed at positive experiences for the many and more purposeful interventions for the few who transgress a variety of boundaries.
I want to start my contribution to Children & Young People Now not with the scepticism of 2003 but with a sense of optimism. I am pleased that the tone of political announcements from the Prime Minister down has shifted from the gratuitous demonisation of the young and preoccupation with their regulation. There is an interest in extending democratic participation to 16-year-olds, the 10-year youth strategy, greater attention to social inclusion, a commitment to broadening the bases of education and learning, and a shared responsibility for young offenders between children's services and justice. Cabinet office minister Ed Miliband has asked us to think carefully about how we talk about young people and Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Ed Balls has counselled caution about the profligate use of Asbos.
There will be three fundamental hurdles to overcome if this new agenda is to be achieved. First, there is the question of reach. Will we have the strategies, resources and people in the right place and at the right time to touch the lives of those who need our services most? Too often in the past, that work has been too hard and people have gone for safer options and quicker 'wins', leaving the primary targets of initiatives untouched.
Second is the question or range. Will we get prevention programmes positioned early enough and sufficiently robust support programmes available further down the track? There needs to be provision from childhood through to young adulthood, geared to age, stage and need.
And finally, risk. Will risk-averse civil servants be overruled by courageous politicians to champion promising approaches to supporting young people? There are no magic wands, but many can testify to the kind of 'mix' that seems to work, even if it cannot be proven beyond reasonable doubt.
- Howard Williamson is professor of European youth policy at the University of Glamorgan, and a member of the Youth Justice Board.
Email howard.williamson@haymarket.com.
