Youth workers strike in prime minister’s home patch
22 August 2011
Only days after the prime minister came to an award-winning
youth centre in Witney, Oxfordshire to address the issue of young
people’s participation in the recent riots, youth workers are to
take action, tomorrow (Tuesday 23 August) to save the county’s
youth services from the axe.
Unite, the largest union in the country, said that the jobs of
80 professional youth workers, who care for hundreds of vulnerable
young people across the county are at risk, as the Conservative-led
council races ahead with plans to offload the running of its 26
youth clubs and two detached youth teams.
Unite is dismayed that the prime minister pledged to mend the
‘broken society’ from a youth club in his own constituency of
Witney but conveniently turned a blind eye to the devastation of
the county’s top class youth service. Five council-run youth
centres in rural Witney are to close.
Oxfordshire county council plans to slash youth service funding
from £3.7 million to £1.4 million making the county one of the
lowest contributors to youth services in the country. Within the
council’s overall budget of £800 million, the cut will save a
miniscule 0.17 per cent, but the impact on the service and its
recipients will be huge and very damaging.
Doug Nicholls, Unite national officer for the community, youth
worker and not for profit sector said: “Youth workers in
Oxfordshire will be taking this day of action with a heavy heart,
but are determined to challenge the council’s short-sighted
decision to dismantle its top class youth service.
“Many workers will be taking action for the first time. Our
members work with some of the most marginalised young people in our
society – those living in poverty, fighting loneliness and
struggling to engage. The jobs they do make a difference to young
lives.
“The prime minister had the audacity to speak from his so-called
favourite youth club in Witney last week in the wake of the UK
riots, but failed to defend the county’s dedicated team of youth
workers.
"If Cameron had taken the time last week to listen to youth
workers then he would hear why the great work being done in his
constituency must not be lost. Youth clubs provide safe places for
young people to go and are needed now more then ever.
“Young people have been given a very rough ride by this
government and now Oxfordshire county council wants to slash its
youth service budget when it already ranks a dismal 104th out of
118 local authorities for net expenditure on youth provision.
“This shows scant regard to the needs of young people in the
county. Oxfordshire county council is sending a message to its
young people that it does not care.”
The protest will be held on Tuesday 23 August at the following
locations:
- 8am – 10am: Samuelson House, (council offices), Tramway,
Banbury OX1 5AU
- 10:15am -12: 00pm: Banbury youth centre, Woodgreen, Hilton
Road, Banbury OX16 0EJ
- 12:30pm -14:30pm: Town Hall, Bridge Street, Banbury OX16
5QB
- 16:00pm – 17:30pm: Rally, Town Hall, Banbury.
ENDS
For more information please contact Chantal Chegrinec, Unite
press office, on 07774 146 777 or Doug Nicholls on 07970 345
381
