Dudley youth workers face axe in volunteer plan

Seventeen support workers are facing the prospect of losing their jobs after the council entered discussions with them over a shake-up of youth services.

Staff currently help provide support classes for children and young people with a range of disabilities, which help to give parents respite and allow children to mix with others.

Evening classes at Rockies in Dudley, Gornal Youth Club and The Source in Wordsley, which are attended by around 100 children, are among those affected.

Volunteers help to deliver the sessions but Dudley Council now wants to make them totally community-run.

Staff were called into a meeting last week and told they could be made redundant.

Dudley Council is targeting making savings of £20 million this financial year.

Councillor Anne Millward, cabinet member for children’s services, said 'difficult decisions' needed to be made due to budget cuts but stressed a final decision had not yet been made.

She said: “As part of our programme of savings, some difficult decisions have had to be made around youth services.

“But there is no intention of closing these sessions. We are very keen to ensure they continue running. A number of voluntary sector groups are currently involved in the delivery of these sessions so we are keen to support these groups to continue.

“No firm decisions have been made and we are still consulting. We do know, however, that there is capacity and willingness within the voluntary sector to offer similar opportunities, particularly in relation to the disability groups. We expect there will be minimal impact on existing sessions.

“Our role has always been, and will remain, to support and empower voluntary organisations to deliver this work.”