A call to mobilise youth workers as key workers in response to COVID-19

Just at the time when they were needed the most, many youth work projects stopped or become severely restricted due to lockdown.  More than 300,000 young people have gone off the radar, no longer accessing any form of provision or activity during lockdown. Scaled up to encompass the whole youth sector, this translates to over one million young people.

Leigh Middleton, NYA CEO, said:

Youth services must be enabled, empowered and up-skilled to do more to meet the immediate needs of vulnerable young people through the pandemic and the challenges from the global recession. Government guidance needs to classify youth services as essential services and to mobilise youth workers as key workers.

To secure youth services over the longer term we are calling for a Youth Service Guarantee for at least two qualified youth workers and a team of youth support workers for each secondary school catchment area. Anything less is selling our young people short.

NYA is the national body for youth work in England (Professional, Statutory & Regulatory Body). For more information visit www.nya.org.uk

Contact: jonathanh@nya.org.uk

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