Letters to the Editor

As a collective of chief executives of regional youth work units, our respective eyes were caught by your recent headline, 'Decline of regional youth work units threatens local services' (www.cypnow.co.uk, 19 August).

We would like to let you know that rumours of our decline are greatly exaggerated.

As regular users of our services will be aware, we are involved in a range of diverse activities, with more in the pipeline, and continue to foster new partnerships across the statutory and voluntary sectors in the regions, so we won't be going anywhere just yet.

Elizabeth Harding, president, North West Regional Youth Work Unit, on behalf of the Network of Regional Youth Work Units

Help young people achieve a positive future

With 1.09 million young people still not in education, employment or training (Neet), the Local Government Association's recently commissioned Hidden Talents report has highlighted the concerning figure that 46,000 fewer young people are being helped by national job schemes today than three years ago.

As a national Neet prevention charity with years of robust research and experience, we fully support the association's call for central government departments to adopt a common framework for providing information on the outcomes of their programmes ('Councils seek more power to help young unemployed', www.cypnow.co.uk, 19 August).

We also applaud the government's move towards a more targeted early intervention approach to address the challenges of youth unemployment long before they become a universal problem.

While we have no doubt the government's new traineeships programme will go a long way towards addressing the problem, let's not lose sight of the value and importance of thoroughly addressing the emotional and behavioural issues that go hand in hand with being disadvantaged and disengaged.

Young people deserve so much more to realise their aspirations and dreams of a more positive future, and it's up to every one of us to help them achieve it.

Diana Whitmore, chief executive and founder, Teens and Toddlers

Email cypnow@markallengroup.com or write to The editor, CYP Now, St Jude's Church, Dulwich Road, London SE24 0PB.