Cuts close youth office

Cuts close youth office

16 December 2015

THE provision of local youth services has suffered a major pre-Christmas blow.

The Education Authority has confirmed this week it is to close the district’s only dedicated youth office at the Market House in Ballynahinch and transfer the service to Newtownards as part of a drive to reduce costs.

The New Year closure has been described by one volunteer youth worker as a “kick in the teeth for the district,” but education chiefs insist tasks relating to youth services in the Down and North Down areas can be facilitated “efficiently and effectively” through the Newtownards office.

But there is mounting concern the closure will mean there will be no youth service office between Newry and Newtownards and the local youth worker — who did not wish to be identified — warning that axing the Ballynahinch office will have a major impact locally.

“Youth workers have played an influential role in reducing anti-social behaviour in Ballynahinch in particular and helped establish excellent cross-community relations between young people from different religious and political backgrounds,” he continued. “Community relations in Ballynahinch are the best they have been for some considerable time.

“I would hate to see all the excellent work carried out by youth workers and others over the years in this district potentially being undone by the closure of the youth office. Not only is this an administrative base, the office is used to host meetings between young people and is also a location for group work.”

The youth worker added: “The work I and my colleagues have carried out over the years has certainly been challenging, but very rewarding, given the progress which has been made fostering improved community relations. My colleagues hope the closure decision, which is a real kick in the teeth for us, can be overturned as we believe it will have a big impact right across this district.”

Rowallane councillor, Billy Walker, said it is his understanding that the Education Authority has been ordered not to lease premises if the services it delivers can be provided in buildings it already owns.

“How can youth services for the Down area be effectively delivered from outside the district and how can a massive area stretching from Newry to Newtownards be left without a dedicated youth office?” he asked.

“The closure of the Ballynahinch office will leave a huge void and the voluntary youth leaders who provide an excellent service have every right to be concerned about what is happening, despite assurances from education officials that everything is going to be okay. As far as I and the volunteer youth workers are concerned, it won’t be. A mini bus stored at the Assumption Grammar School is for use by young people in the Ballynahinch area, is it also moving to Newtownards?”

Councillor Walker added: “I believe education officials are making a grave mistake by closing the Ballynahinch office and fear it will impact on local youth services. Youth leaders across the district who do excellent work have now been left without a dedicated a base and a building which they were able to utilise to the full.”

An Education Authority spokesman said the Department of Education’s policy on “Priorities for Youth, Improving Young People’s Lives Through Youth Work” requires it to reduce administration “in the interests of maintaining front line services for young people.”

He said where administrative functions can be provided through existing offices, the Authority must make full use of these premises and facilities to ensure cost effective utilisation of existing properties.

“Administrative tasks relating to youth services in Down and North Down can be facilitated efficiently and effectively through the youth office at the Ards Arena in Newtownards,” the spokesman continued.“One administration officer will be impacted by the transfer of services to the Newtownards office. There is no change to the location of front line youth work staff who continue to deliver services at various locations across Down and North Down.”

The spokesman said the delivery of youth services and the use of a youth bus based in Ballynahinch are not affected by the closure of the Market House office, insisting the change is to administration support services only.