Investing in youth services is essential, say auditors

19 Apr 11
Spending on youth services represents ‘an investment in the country’s future’ even at a time of spending cuts, the Audit Commission said today.
By Richard Johnstone

19 April 2011

Spending on youth services represents ‘an investment in the country’s future’ even at a time of spending cuts, the Audit Commission said today.

The commission’s managing director Andy McKeon said that the services can help teenagers develop social and communication skills, build self-esteem and improve attitudes to education. He added: ‘With the advice and support of youth professionals, young people stand a much better chance of avoiding negative influences such as involvement in crime, anti-social behaviour and drugs. In short, good youth services help to turn young people into young citizens.’

The watchdog has published a series of assessment checklists that will allow councils to measure the value for money of their youth services. They are aimed at elected members and senior staff. The assessment can cover traditional youth clubs as well as youth workers’ outreach work, youth-targeted sports, arts and heritage provision and even the Youth Offending Service.

Questions are asked on four topics to determine value for money – local provision, governance and accountability, workforce and capacity and outcomes for young people and the impact on local communities.

The assessment, which has been developed with the Confederation of Heads of Young People’s Services, follows a 2009 Audit Commission report Tired of hanging around, which showed how sport and leisure activities could prevent young people being drawn into antisocial behaviour. It found that a young person caught up in the criminal justice system costs the taxpayer £200,000 by the age of 16, but one needing support to stay out of it costs less than £50,000.

Confederation chief executive David Wright said he hoped the assessments would be used. ‘I know that the CHYPS is keen to offer practical support to local authorities using it in this way.’

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