Youth work in England: An uncertain future?

England’s youth workers have always tended to look back to a golden age when funding was available, when there were apparently fewer restrictive regulations and, presumably, the sun shone on well-resourced programs. The post-war period when government funding was channeled into work with young people via local authorities and third sector or voluntary organizations provides the touchstone for reminiscence. For once, there appear to be firm grounds for nostalgia. Drastically reduced funding for all forms of work with young people provides the context for this chapter. Cuts in funding have served to reinforce and extend inequalities. The UK magazine, Children and Young People Now, published an article entitled, ‘Youth sector on a “knife-edge” as third of organizations at risk’ (N.K., 2013). It presented a depressing overview of reductions in expenditure and a pessimistic prediction of the future. Shortly afterwards, Butler (2013) reported that over a two year period, cuts to youth services averaged 27% and in some places amounted to 50% while a handful axed their entire youth budget. It is clear that youth services have been subject to drastic cuts accompanied by amalgamation with targeted and acute services for young people