Mobile service to support young people in rural areas

A mobile service could be set up to take youth support services to the most remote parts of the county.

Shropshire Council’s cabinet agreed to look at the work of authorities and third sector groups in reaching young people in rural areas, in the hope of establishing a mobile service in Shropshire.

Members heard the idea had arisen as a result of the council’s restructure of youth services. Cabinet voted in January to withdraw funding from the county’s youth clubs to pay for six outreach youth workers to target young people most in need of support.

In order to keep going, youth clubs will need to be funded and managed by town and parish councils or voluntary groups.

A report to cabinet by Karen Bradshaw, the council’s director of children and young people’s services,  said: “Whilst cabinet agreed the development of a new strategy for the provision of youth support, concerns remain about the delivery of youth activities in the outlying rural areas of Shropshire.

“Shropshire Council wishes to explore opportunities to support the delivery of
provision, and to create some economies of scale across town and parish
councils. ”

Ms Bradshaw recommended that “the viability of a range of options for the provision of mobile youth facilities in rural areas” should be explored.

Members agreed, and said a further report should be brought back to cabinet with the results so that decisions could be made on future youth provision.

Councillor Ed Potter, portfolio holder for children’s services, said: “We have had enquiries from smaller villages and parishes that would like to do things to benefit young people in their localities.

“I think it would be worthwhile looking at what other communities do for young people in their areas.”