Yell out about youth work's success
Andy Hillier
Friday, May 28, 2010
The New Labour years were hardly characterised by profligacy in spending on young people's services. It was generally only the most deprived areas that received more than 100 a head to spend on providing youth services.
Early indications from the coalition government suggest that the youth sector may well look back on the latter half of Labour's time in power as almost a boom period in terms of expenditure on services. With the new government desperate to cut the UK's financial deficit, it begs the question whether funding streams that have become the lifeline of the sector, such as the Positive Activities for Young People programme, will actually be replaced at all when they end in 2011.
At times like this the sector needs to stand united and present a strong case for funding. That's why this month we have spoken to four well-known names about how youth work helped to set them on the road to success and why they think it remains so important today. Rap artist Dizzee Rascal, one of the four famous people included, says he owes a debt of gratitude to the Tower Hamlets Summer University programme for helping him to pursue a career in music. As Dizzee puts it, Summer Uni was "X Factor on my doorstep".
There are numerous other celebrities who are thankful to youth programmes for their support, including boxer Amir Khan (who learned to box at Bolton Lads & Girls Club), as well as thousands of ordinary young people who have overcome adversity and prospered thanks to the help of youth workers.
Too often youth work shies away from its successes. Now it must step forward and shout about them from the rooftops. It needs to make politicians and the general public aware of the transformative effect it can have on young lives and present its case so that all can understand.
Andy Hillier, editor, Youth Work Now