Shropshire chosen as one of 12 areas to pilot £8 million youth services transformation programme

The county has been selected as one of 12 pilot 'Local Youth Transformation' areas that will see £8 million provided for local authorities to deliver a "high-quality" out-of-school offer. 

The Government said the programme will provide tools, guidance, and funding to access, improve and invest in impactful youth offers in the region. 

The pilot will test ways to "rebuild local authority capability" to ensure local youth offers address the needs of young people in the areas they live in.

The scheme is part of a wider £88m funding package unveiled by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer this week, aimed at transforming opportunities for young people across the country.

It is hoped that funding will enable youth clubs and schools to offer more opportunities for young people to get active, through provisions from new climbing walls and outdoor adventures to music lessons and volunteering. 

Reacting to the news, Labour MP for Shrewsbury, Julia Buckley said: "After a decade of seeing our youth services decimated across Shropshire under the previous Tory Government, I am delighted that Shropshire has been chosen as one of the areas to pilot this new £8m investment into our young people.

"Access to safe, welcoming spaces where young people can connect with friends and access support after school will be genuinely life-changing for many in our community. This Labour Government is investing in our children's future, giving them the opportunities they need to thrive in life."

An Expression of Interest (EOI) process was launched to select the local authorities involved in the pilot. The Government said 43 local authorities with the highest levels of young people living in families facing income deprivation were invited to submit an EOI. 

Twelve local authorities have been selected to participate in the pilot, which the Government said represent a range of geographies, contexts and youth service operating models. 

In the West Midlands, Stoke-on-Trent has also been selected to take part in the pilot. The other 10 authorities are: Derbyshire, Peterborough, Islington, Southwark, Hartlepool, Knowsley, Liverpool, Oxfordshire, Cornwall, and Doncaster.

Alongside the rollout of the Local Youth Transformation pilot, the Building Creative Futures package includes a £22.5 million investment over three years to create a tailored enrichment offer in up to 400 schools. The Government said this will give pupils access to extra-curricular activities such as sport, art and music, outdoor activities, debating or volunteering.

It also includes the launch of the 'Better Youth Spaces Programme' that has seen a £30.5m investment to improve youth club infrastructure in areas with the highest levels of child poverty, and the third phase of the Million Hours Fund - a £19m joint investment with The National Lottery Community Fund to deliver over a million additional hours of youth work in areas with high rates of anti-social behaviour.

Meanwhile £7.5m has been invested in the Uniformed Youth Fund in a bid to create thousands of new places at organisations including The Scouts, Guides and Volunteer Police Cadets.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: "Growing up today is hard for young people. As they navigate their way through the online world, too often they find themselves isolated at home and disconnected from their communities.

"As a Government, we have a duty to act on this worrying trend. Today’s investment is about offering a better alternative: transformative, real-world opportunities that will have an impact in communities across the country, so young people can discover something new, find their spark and develop the confidence and life skills that no algorithm can teach.

"Through our Plan for Change, we’re backing parents by not only protecting our young people online, but giving them the support and opportunities they deserve so no child falls through the cracks."