The National Youth Agency (NYA) today welcomes the Government’s announcement of £132.5m in Dormant Assets funding allocated to provision of services, facilities or opportunities to meet the needs of young people. This marks a vital and overdue investment in grassroots youth work, which has endured immense pressure to meet rising demand with limited resources.
The funding responds to long-standing calls from the NYA and sector partners for sustained investment in community-based youth work that supports young people’s wellbeing and development. According to our National Youth Sector Census, over 80% of youth provision is delivered by voluntary and community organisations, who are struggling with increased demand amid rising operating costs.
Leigh Middleton OBE
NYA Chief Executive Officer
We also welcome the additional £87.5 million of Lottery funding to community wealth funds and are hopeful that community-based youth work organisations will benefit from this fund.
While the investment announced today is a positive step, it must be seen in the context of a £1.2 billion real-terms cut in local authority spending on youth services since 2010. While this has the potential to unlock life-changing opportunities for thousands of young people, it will only do so if it marks the beginning of a sustained and strategic commitment to rebuilding the sector.
Leigh Middleton, OBE, CEO, National Youth Agency, said:
“This is a pivotal moment in strengthening the support available to young people. This Dormant Assets funding offers a real chance to reinforce the stability and extend the reach of grassroots youth work, at a time when that support is needed more than ever. We are proud to have worked with partners across the sector to make this case, and we look forward to continuing to work collaboratively to support the development of the funds f so that they might deliver real change on the ground.
“As we look ahead to the National Youth Strategy this summer, the Government must build on this momentum with a clear, measurable, and sustainably funded plan – one that empowers youth work professionals and creates the conditions for effective delivery and lasting impact, so that all young people can thrive. The foundations for this funding must be clearly outlined in the forthcoming Spending Review to ensure long-term stability and confidence across the sector.”
