EC Meeting March 2017

16

Resolution 24

Youth Service

(1) This Conference continues to be opposed to the unfair and unnecessary attacks on The GS wrote letters to every MP and member of the House of Lords on behalf of the campaign and drafted the Young People and Youth Work Bill with Unite member Andy Driver and former director of the National Youth Agency Tom Wylie.A special meeting of Chooseyouth was held on June 4th and a renewed episode of concerted campaigning ensued. our public services. It notes with utter dismay the consequence of this in the near ruin of the Youth Service in Britain. (2) The historic role of youth work as an educational service offering personal and social development to young people outside school and work and offering an entirely unique space for young people to grow and develop, as well as for preventative work to be undertaken is under serious threat. The service has experienced an ideologically driven break up of youth work and the youth services. It is undisputed that the Youth Service in England is the first public service to actually disappear as a consequence of the austerity funding cuts to local authorities by the current Tory Government. (3) Fantastic youth work now only exists in isolated fragments. The architecture of the post war settlement of local authorities working in partnership with the voluntary sector to provide professionally qualified workers and supported volunteers to work with and for young people to expand their horizons and develop citizenship and collective responsibility has gone. No local authority in England has a Youth Service left. Thousands of youth centres have closed.

(4) This conference calls upon the GFTU and affiliate organisations to:

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Continue to actively support the Choose Youth Campaign, the unprecedented alliance of youth organisations and Trade unions to defend youth services and Youth workers jobs underpinned by professional national Terms and Conditions (JNC for Youth and Community workers) Endorse the recent Choose Youth Statement and inform all affiliate organisations of its content Support the Votes at 16 campaign along with a massive voter registration campaign specifically targeting young people Campaign for a rebuilt and publically funded youth service staffed by professionally qualified JNC youth workers with their job title protected in statute and a licence to practise scheme

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(5) Such an investment and rebuilding of a youth service will enable young people to lead a renewed sense of commitment to a social and economic future that values our young people first and foremost.”

The GS wrote letters to every MP and member of the House of Lords on behalf of the campaign and drafted the Young People and Youth Work Bill with Unite member Andy Driver and former director of the National Youth Agency Tom Wylie.A special meeting of Chooseyouth was held on June 4 th and a renewed episode of concerted campaigning ensued.