Following on from yesterday’s question, ‘where are the voices of the youth sector?’, it’s heartening to see the Institute of Youth Work [IYW] responding critically to the government’s abandonment of its commitment to a three-year youth policy statement. Indeed the report in CYPN relates that in a strongly worded open letter sent to Tracey Crouch [the minister for civil society], the IYW states that it is “seeking assurances about the value of young people and youth work to yourself and your department”.  The IYW warns that the U-turn could lead to “disaffection” among young people and “consultation fatigue” when the new strategy is consulted on. The Institute goes on to say that “many of our members directly supported young people to be involved in the extensive DCMS consultation workshops earlier this year – losing the policy this was building towards means we may have abused the trust that these people put in us and you that their views will be heard and acted upon.” On the grapevine, we’ve heard that an original draft was even more outspoken, but that diplomacy prevailed! Whatever it is refreshing to see the IYW challenging government policy or in this case the very lack of it.

Compare this to the bland statement proffered by Leigh Middleton, managing director of the National Youth Agency, which ignores utterly the amount of empty talk already endured: “I am pleased that the minister has launched consultation on a strategy for civil society and welcome the opportunity to continue our dialogue with DCMS. My hope is that this is a real opportunity to get young people listened to and their needs focused on by government.”

Read the letter in full – Tracey Crouch MP – Open Letter 20.11.17

PS DCMS stands for Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport