A third of London’s youth clubs will close without new funding, a charity warned on Thursday as it launched a campaign to save them.
London Youth said disadvantaged children will be hardest hit by the closure of youth centres because they play a vital role in helping them into the world of work.
An open letter from London’s ‘forgotten generation’ of young people has been painted on a billboard in Shoreditch to draw attention to the campaign, which urges policy makers not to let young people’s ambitions die.
The letter states: “With consistent cuts in youth sector funding, a pandemic and a cost of living crisis, we are battling to support London’s youth clubs.”
It highlights that youth clubs are vital spaces where young people can develop skills needed to compete for work.
Rosemary Watt-Wyness, CEO of London Youth said: “Youth clubs are the place young people choose to go, thus presenting a huge opportunity to reach them with support, opportunities, and consistent and trusted adult relationships which London Youth knows can change lives.”
London Youth supports 600 youth organisations across the capital. The charity works to make young people more employable by introducing them to mentors and holding job workshops to boost their knowledge of the working world, and runs sports, arts and mental health programmes.
The open letter states: “Dear London, help us keep our youth clubs open and young people’s ambition alive.
“Every young person deserves somewhere to go, something to do and someone to trust.
“Youth work changes lives. It builds confidence, carves careers and shapes us. But youth clubs need your support.”
