“We welcome Secretary of State Lisa Nandy’s announcement today confirming her commitment to co-develop a National Youth Strategy with young people, ensuring opportunities for young people in every postcode.
The National Youth Sector Advisory Board released its Roadmap to a National Youth Strategy in late 2023, and we look forward to working with the government to support its development. We also appreciate the Secretary of State’s recognition of youth workers as a vital resource for young people, as well as her commitment to working with the sector to better support them, with a continued focus on recruiting and training youth workers.
We recognise the challenging situation Local Authorities face in balancing thousands of statutory duties and responsibilities amid rising costs and growing demand for
public services, which often leaves youth services vulnerable to budget cuts. We therefore welcome the Local Youth Transformation pilot and look forward to learning more about how it will strengthen youth opportunities across all communities.
We also welcome the allocation of £100 million from Dormant Assets funding for improving youth outcomes between 2024 and 2028 and look forward to further details in the upcoming Dormant Assets strategy.
Finally, we reflect with sadness on the news of the closure of the National Citizen Service (NCS). Since 2011, the NCS has provided valuable opportunities to over a million young people and has played a significant leadership role in the youth sector. As a previous NCS regional provider, we witnessed the programme’s impact first-hand and felt privileged to work alongside a high-quality team whose dedication made the programme a success. Our thoughts are with the NCS Board and team during this difficult time.“
- Leigh Middleton OBE, Prif Swyddog Gweithredol NYA
Map Ffordd ar gyfer Strategaeth Ieuenctid Genedlaethol
Over 20 youth sector organisations came together to develop and publish the Roadmap in 2023.
