The London/South-East IDYW group organised a successful day’s debate and activity, ‘Youth Work: What Works?’ a couple of weeks ago at the Salmon Centre in the heart of London. Whilst at least one participant felt it was ironic to be discussing the cuts to youth services sat within a purpose-built hub, that epitomised the New Labour shift from local youth centres, others found the event inspiring, full of rich encounters.

Another of those involved writes, about 30 people (youth workers and young people) came from as near as the Salmon Centre itself and as far as Oxfordshire. People got chatting as soon as they arrived, talked about youth work, campaigning, cuts, politics, and more. We all introduced ourselves and played a game together. Young people showed films they had made, many of them introducing their films with or without their youth workers: a group fighting the closure of their youth centre; young people demonstrating on the streets against their youth service being shut down; a young man who had made a moving film about cuts in public services; a film of young people talking about why their youth club and youth workers are important to them; a group of young people talking about their youth democracy project and how they wanted to work for their community; and a radio 4 broadcast about the importance of youth work based on the Salmon centre. Dami told us about Choose Youth and talked passionately about the impact of youth work on his life. People made badges, made banners, told stories, played pool got to know people from other areas and youth projects, looked around the Salmon Centre. It felt like good youth work!

At the end of the meeting there was overwhelming support for the idea of organising a London Choose Youth rally and for the proposal to have a distinct youth work/young people section of the March 26 TUC rally.