YOUTH OUTREACH WORK TO CONTINUE IN ALMONDBURY

6.05.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 17th Jun 2009

Huddersfield South Committee at its meeting on Tuesday 16th June agreed to continue to fund Street Scene in its work engaging hard to reach young people on the streets of the ward.

As recession bites, Street Scene backed to engage hardest

to reach young people by Area Committee

Huddersfield South Committee at its meeting on Tuesday 16th June agreed to continue to fund Street Scene in its work engaging hard to reach young people on the streets of the ward.

The decision comes days after it emerged that 10% of 16-18 years olds (1 in 10) nationally are currently neither in education, employment or training (NEET). This is a total of 207,800. This is a rise of nearly a third from the figure of 160,760 when Labour came to power in 1997. The rise is blamed on the recession making it more difficult for school leavers to find work.

10.2% of 16-18 in Kirklees are currently recognised as NEET according to the latest figures.

Area Committee members agreed to supply £8,500 of funding which will enable Street Scene workers to provide a session every week on the streets of the ward for the next six months. This will include providing a positive activity each week for young people leading to an accreditation that they can use when applying for courses or jobs. Workers will also provide young people with a wide range of information to help them deal with any personal issues and to reconnect those currently identified as NEET with main support services as a way back into mainstream education and/or employment.

Cllr Linda Wilkinson said:

"With the recession making it more difficult for young people to find work, the service provided by Street Scene become even more valuable. We are very happy to support their continued good work in Almondbury and hope that this funding will help numerous young people move on to lead better, more fulfilling lives where they are economically secure and able to give something positive back to the local community."