Oldham Council have admitted that it may be forced to close all but one of their youth centres if plans to make handover services to charity provision go ahead.
On September 29, the council agreed to consult on proposals to ‘develop the contracts of key third sector partners Mahdlo and Oldham Community Leisure’.
While council representatives were quick to point out that the plans are still in consultation, community figures have already expressed their concerns.
Councillor Diane Williamson, opposition spokesperson for Education and Safeguarding in Oldham, said: “Within Oldham, what is being proposed is that we will only have one session provided by Mahdlo, the central youth zone in the town centre.
“Whilst Mahdlo is a fantastic building and provides a whole host of activities and tries to enhance the quality of young people’s lives it is just in one place – the centre of Oldham.”
The council have argued that this conclusion is only being mooted after years of discussion.
Councillor Barbara Brownridge, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Cooperatives, said: “The future of the youth delivery in Oldham is still at a consultation stage.
“The last five years have been very challenging times and we face even tougher budget restraints over the next two years needing to find £60million in savings – on top of the £141 million already saved.
“There has been no decision to close any youth centres in the borough. We recognise the value of youth services and we are committed and dedicated to working closely with our partners in the third and voluntary sector to deliver a continuing provision for our young people in all our districts.”
Public opinion may well be against the move, with a former youth services boss from Manchester launching a petition begging government officials to make youth services statutory.
The petition’s goal of 6,000 signatures is in clear sight.
Manchester-born Pete Sims, 46, a former senior manager at Bradford youth services and creator of the petition, feels that youth work is seen as an easy target for spending cuts.
He said: “Councils rely on the fact that no-one will speak up for this service.
“My motivation in starting the petition was the climate of fear in the sector. Youth workers are fearful of speaking out about changes because they fear for their jobs.”
And they may be right to be worried. UNISON reports, based on data recovered from a Freedom of Information data, show that up to 2,000 youth worker jobs have been axed since 2012 and 350 youth centres closed.
Councillor Williamson backs up Mr Sims’ view that a crucial asset will be lost when shedding trained youth workers in favour of voluntary staff.
She said: “Those youth workers who may be going to lose their jobs are the ones that build up relationships with sometimes vulnerable young people and engage with them about the negatives of their behaviour etc.
“When this provision goes we are going to lose all those relationships.
“A lot of our young people will not go to Mahdlo because they just cannot get to it. So where will they go? Hang about on the streets! Then be accused of causing all sorts of problems.”
Oldham Council is not the first to turn to the third sector for a solution to its budgetary constraints.
Image courtesy of Seema Krishnakumar with thanks
