Lockdown restrictions threaten youth groups' future
Derren Hayes
Thursday, May 28, 2020
Nearly a third of youth organisations and clubs face closure by the end of the year if current Covid-19 restrictions remain in place, a survey suggests.
A poll of youth organisations, schools and grass roots clubs taking part in programmes run by the Jack Patchey Foundation, found that 12 per cent said the pandemic presented a “high risk” to their long-term future, while a further 57 per cent reported a “moderate risk”.
Nearly a third of the 462 organisations to respond to the Jack Petchey Foundation survey said they could only continue for one to six months, with the same proportion saying they could survive six months to a year based on their financial reserves if current restrictions continue.
The survey shows that since lockdown restrictions were imposed on 24 March, three-quarters of organisations closed youth clubs, with half being unable to support young people and 29 per cent not delivering any services.
However, for those organisations still providing support for young people, 73 per cent were using social media and 68 per cent online resources.
Earlier this month, the government announced plans for a phased lifting of lockdown restrictions over the next two months, starting with the reopening of schools to some year groups from next Monday (1 June).
According to the survey, 77 per cent of schools remained open for children of key workers and students with particular needs. However, three-quarters said take up of these spaces was low.
Similar to youth groups, schools have been using online services to stay in touch with young people not attending school such as email (74 per cent) and online portals (56 per cent).
The foundation is a grant-giving body and runs an achievement awards scheme for organisations supporting children and young people aged 11 to 25 living in London and Essex.
The foundation survey also revealed that 37 per cent of organisations were unaware of government support packages. To support the 1,600 organisations and groups it works with and funds, the foundation said it is being flexible with reporting deadlines and requirements as well as spending guidelines.
“We have reassured our groups that we understand what they are going through and have written to them several times changing our normal processes to take into account the lockdown and pressures schools and clubs are under,” it states.
“The impact of Covid-19 is going to be long-lasting and significant, especially for young people, so we are already beginning to think about what funding will be required in order to support young people for the future. This in turn will help us to shape our grant programmes for the years to come.”