Save our youth centres, say teenagers

Dozens of youth workers will be laid off as more than £530,000 is carved from children’s provision over the next two years.

The cuts are part of Rotherham Borough  council’s  drive to save £30 million from its budget

Rotherham Borough Council will buy five extra mobile centres and claims that the new model will be the best possible under the tighter resources.

But youngsters contacted the Advertiser this week to tell of their fears that the plans could cause rising crime and anti-social behaviour.

Bramley, Chislett, Wingfield, Aston and Harthill youth centres will all be axed by July.

Kilnhurst and Catcliffe—which are already unused—will not reopen, Brampton Cabins will bite the dust and the Rotherham International Centre has been put up for sale.

Dinnington’s youth centre will close and be replaced by a new cafe in partnership with innovative Kiveton-based JADE—Just Another Dance Event.

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Among those affected will be 14-year-old Kimberley Holbrook, of Flanderwell, who said that attending Bramley’s centre had boosted her confidence and self-esteem.

Kimberley, who has helped draw up a protest petition, added: “Over the years, thousands and thousands of people have had help and support through this service and are upset that the youth club is closing down.”

Cllr Mahroof Hussain, Cabinet member for young people’s issues, defended the shake-up insisting: “With £30 million budget savings to be made because of Government cuts we can’t dibble and dabble around the edges, but we are trying to mitigate the impact.

“As an ex-youth worker I’m quite passionate about this and all members want to provide the best service we can for Rotherham’s young people.

“We believe this is the best model to make the service fit for purpose moving forward and protecting it from further cuts in the future.”

The Rotherham Youth Cafe will move inside the YMCA-led £3.4 million My Place centre at St Ann’s, into which the council has so far invested £50,000. It will open in the autumn.

More than £300,000 will be invested to bring the number of mobile youth centres to seven—one for each Area Assembly area.

The future of Rotherham's Youth Services: See this week's Advertiser.