Thanks to Bis and Emma for reminding us of these ongoing efforts to influence the politicians in Parliament.

YOUTH WORK AND THE YOUTH SERVICE

Session: 2010-12
Date tabled: 16.11.2010
Primary sponsor: Blenkinsop, Tom
Sponsors:
Bottomley, Peter
Campbell, Ronnie
Caton, Martin
Dobbin, Jim
Mearns, Ian

That this House values highly the work of youth workers and the youth service and believes that these need urgent protection from unfair and disproportionate cuts in local authority and voluntary sector provision; recognises that through their unique voluntary relationship with young people youth workers are able to give highly cost-effective support to them and, through a process of informal learning, personal and social education, increase young people’s participation as active citizens in local and national democracy, re-engage them in education, make lives healthier, improve access to learning, strengthen information, advice and guidance, support partnership working, participate in structured leisure time activities, stay out of the youth justice system and play an active and voluntary part in their local communities, provide experiences that enable free association and fun; and notes that Joint Negotiating Committee-qualified youth workers are trained to sustain adult volunteers in community activities and successfully fundraise for services from a range of sources and maintain creative partnerships between local authority and voluntary sector providers; and calls on the Government urgently to review the compliance by local authorities with the Education and Inspections Act 2006 with regard to youth work provision and to find urgent ways to protect youth services from the current severe round of cuts.

There are still only 65 signatures. Go to http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2010-12/1013

E-PETITION

Protect youth work and youth services

Responsible department: Department for Education

Youth services need urgent protection from the unfair and disproportionate cuts in local authority and voluntary sector provision ranging from 20% to 100% of spending. We call on the Government to: Review the compliance by local authorities with the Ed and Insps Act 2006 with regard to youth work provision and to find ways to protect youth services from the current severe round of cuts; Ensure that existing youth services have funding priority over new initiatives to ensure that all young people’s services are well funded and are beneficial and urge the government to take heed of the calls made by the Select Committee for funds earmarked for the NCS be diverted back into the year-round youth services; Publicly declare its intention to retain the statutory duty on local authorities to secure young people’s access to sufficient educational and leisure activities; Ensure that youth services are given proper investment with a dedicated, ring-fenced funding stream.

To sign, go to http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/4671