£500 million youth strategy will change lives, says Stafford MP who used to be a youth worker

Stafford MP Leigh Ingham, herself a former youth worker, said the Government's National Youth Strategy would rebuild youth services, expand opportunities, and give young people much-needed support.

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Miss Ingham who had arranged for 18 youngsters to meet Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy in the summer, said more than 14,000 young people had been consulted on what they wanted from the strategy.

She said Staffordshire had experienced the third worst cuts to youth services in the country.

Miss Ingham said the decade-long programme would ensure every young person aged 10-21 - or up to 25 for those with special educational needs or disabilities - had someone who cared for them, somewhere safe and welcoming to go, and a strong community they could feel part of. 

The strategy aims to give 500,000 more young people access to a trusted adult outside their home, alongside support to build resilience and stay safe online. 

She said that over the next four years, the investment would fund up to 250 new or refurbished youth centres, establish a network of 50 'Young Futures Hubs' offering specialist support and career development, and strengthen the local partnerships that help young people access safe, effective services in their communities. 

“The last Government cut spending by more than 70 per cent, which resulted in the closure of 1,000 youth services, and thousands of youth workers leaving the sector," said Miss Ingham.

"Young people in our area felt those cuts sharply."

She said young people in the area had a clear idea about what they needed.

"They want better mental health support, safe spaces, real opportunities, and a say in the decisions shaping their future," she said. 

"The important thing is that this strategy has been shaped by young people, not done to them, and I’m grateful to the local young people who helped shape it by sharing their ideas."