Save the youth service in Wolverhampton Unite the Union

January 2009

Young people from Wolverhampton deserve the highest levels of support, from trained and qualified professionals. Youth workers offer a unique range of support for young people, which is effective in addressing some of the most serious challenges our society faces. It is this fact that has led people of all ages from Wolverhampton to consistently call for an increase in youth work provision for the city.

Best Value:

Wolverhampton Youth Service has consistently demonstrated its value both in terms of quality and cost. Inspections of Wolverhampton Youth Service - JAR, CPA and Ofsted, as well as an internally commissioned inspection of the service have been favourable, and the service has been assessed as offering value for money.

Cuts:

The Cabinet of Wolverhampton City Council, is considering £41.3 million worth of savings. In this context, Chief Officers at Wolverhampton City Council have made proposals to cut the Youth Service budget by 24.1%. This action will result in the deletion of 26 full-time equivalent youth worker posts - almost half the full time workforce of the service. This decimation of the service will lead to closures of youth units, staffing ratios below government targets, and will call into question the authorities ability to deliver its statutory requirements as detailed in the Education Inspections Act 2006. The proposed cuts are proportionately higher for the Youth Service than any other department, and this is unacceptable.

How you can help:

You can write to the Leader of the Council
Cllr Neville Patten,
Wolverhampton City Council
St Peters Square
Wolverhampton
and you can sign our online petition on the left of this page telling the Council that you do not want the Youth Service in Wolverhampton to be destroyed.