Impact of Budget Changes on Youth Work Provision 2023 Survey

We have launched a survey to gather a picture of the reductions to services, budgets, and staffing across the country.

Youth worker and young person learning outside

We have launched a survey to gather a picture of the reductions to services, budgets, and staffing across the country.

We recently released our Youth work’s role during and in recovery from Covid-19The report was one of seven studies commissioned by the Scottish Government’s Covid-19 Learning and Evaluation Oversight GroupAs the Covid enquiries get underway it is good to be reminded of the vital importance of youth work services, especially as we move from Covid into a cost-of-living crisis and with concerns growing around child poverty. 

We are facing budget cuts to youth work services once again across Scotland. We are fully aware that local authorities are facing the most challenging of financial situations, with difficult decisions to take to ensure balanced budgets. In anticipation of these cuts, we have already written to council leaders, met with political parties and produced a new Invest In Youth Work campaign toolkit.

We are now seeing a clearer picture of the extent of cuts to service provision, and it is deeply troubling to all of us who work to support our young people.  

Youth work adds huge value to Scottish society and investment in youth work provided through local councils should be protected and built on. Figures on youth work spend are not officially collected, and the question of the level of cuts is being asked by politicians of all parties.   

For managers: Survey 

For youth workers: Survey