Story: Lisa Swift
After changes to staff at Sheffield Futures, young people have lost out again at local youth centres.
Two youth club sessions at Verdon Recreation Centre have ended, while other sessions have reduced from three to two hours. All Saints now has 2 evening sessions, Earlmarshal has 4 sessions, and Osgathorpe pavilion just 1. Youth workers are also committed to supporting the Vestry Hall 2 sessions a week.
Sheffield’s Youth Services have received cuts of over £5million in the last 2 years. A restructure to create Community Youth Teams, has also meant big changes. Youth workers are now part of a team that includes Youth Prevention workers, Police officers and health workers.
Sheffield Futures have also ended contracts with youth workers who only worked for them for a few hours a week, creating instead jobs of at least 16 hours per week. This has resulted in many youth workers leaving the service and Sheffield Futures have not been able to recruit to all the vacancies available.