‘Youth club cuts will lead to disengaged poor youngsters’

HOW many of us attribute something of our development or success to youth clubs or significant role models?

Our young generation will not have this opportunity if their future is not invested in.

The present Conservative Government has cut £400m from Council funding, resulting in 600plus youth centre closures.

The young from poorer backgrounds are the most disadvantaged, with the addition of benefit cuts to education maintenance, benefits like loss of child tax credit and the looming Universal Credit farce.

Where young people are disengaged through lack of aspiration, opportunity and involvement, potentially crime may result. High-harm crime, (i.e. knife and firearm crime) is rising.

Government cuts to police services and youth services can create a dangerous mix.

Young people labelled as ‘trouble’ have a difficult relationship with authority figures such as police, with a potential cycle of criminality affecting the individual, their family and their community.

Resources must be directed to the next generation.

Encouraging young people to work collaboratively with involvement from local businesses, voluntary organisations is essential to the development of a sense of ownership and belonging in our town. Lyn Swindlehurst Leek