The government minister for 14 to 19 reform is to consider putting youth services on a statutory footing to stop cash-strapped councils from cutting provision.
Speaking at CYP Now's Generation Neet (not in employment, education or training) event, Iain Wright told delegates that he is preparing a revised "three years on" version of Aiming High for Young People at the request of the Prime Minister.
He promised to look into the case for making youth services statutory, after Fiona Blacke, chief executive of the National Youth Agency, warned that local authorities with tight budgets are cutting early intervention services.
Blacke told Wright that young people could be prevented from becoming Neet if government strengthened the statutory basis for preventative youth services.
"There is a statutory basis for positive activities but it's not strong enough," she said.
Wright pledged to consider the idea as part of his work for the Prime Minister.
Speaking at CYP Now's Generation Neet (not in employment, education or training) event, Iain Wright told delegates that he is preparing a revised "three years on" version of Aiming High for Young People at the request of the Prime Minister.
He promised to look into the case for making youth services statutory, after Fiona Blacke, chief executive of the National Youth Agency, warned that local authorities with tight budgets are cutting early intervention services.
Blacke told Wright that young people could be prevented from becoming Neet if government strengthened the statutory basis for preventative youth services.
"There is a statutory basis for positive activities but it's not strong enough," she said.
Wright pledged to consider the idea as part of his work for the Prime Minister.