The most recent national mapping of youth provision shows that half of all council areas in England now face severe “youth work black holes”, with poorest communities hit hardest by years of cuts.
As a youth and community organisation based in Liverpool, which ranks third in the country for the percentage of neighbourhoods with the highest youth need and lowest support, we see the impact every day:
- fewer safe spaces for young people
- shrinking access to trusted adults
- increasing pressure on families and communities already stretched to their limits.
This mirrors wider findings that thousands of youth organisations and centres have disappeared over the past decade, leaving vulnerable young people without support networks at the very time they need them most.
This isn’t only about funding, it’s about protecting our young people and strengthening our community.
We stand with organisations across the country calling for urgent reinvestment in youth work. Young people deserve safety, opportunity, and hope, no matter their postcode or background.
If ever there was a moment to rebuild youth services, it’s now!
