The views of the Borough's young people are being sought after a special working group to consider the future direction of youth services in Redbridge was set up.
Youth Services Scrutiny Working Group was formed to look at the opportunities and activities for young people in the Borough in light of budget savings being made.
The Group has launched an online survey which they would like as many young people as possible to complete. It is hoped that this will give them a better idea of how young people view youth provision in the Borough and what their hopes are for the future.
The survey will ask what youth services they currently use, what their experience of them has been, how they rate their quality, why they use them, how they find out about the different activities and support on offer and what improvements they would like to see in the future.
Members of the Working Group understand that it is an uncertain time for many young people and that the challenges they face are now even greater due to austerity measures implemented by the Government.
Working Group Chairman, Cllr Aziz Choudhury, said, "We know it is a difficult time for many of our young people and with unknown prospects brought about by unemployment, the recent riots and rise in youth crime in London, many young people continue to feel disenfranchised and disaffected.
"All of these issues will impact on youth services in Redbridge and we want to hear directly from young people about their experiences and priorities for the future."
The Redbridge Youth Services includes the work of the Connexions Service, Youth Service, the Music Service and Drama Centre. It supports the personal and social development of young people aged between 13 and 19 (up to 25 if they have learning difficulties) by providing advice information and guidance, a range of opportunities and positive activities across the Borough. This includes volunteering, sporting and music activities, careers' advice, the Youth Council , Music tuition, Drama workshops and the opportunity to gain various accreditations such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award.
It also aims to recognise the special needs of young people in the Borough and works to support them through the transition to adulthood.
The Working Group will also be visiting youth centres in the Borough and will be looking at provision for young people in neighbouring boroughs. They will meet with the Head of the Music Service and Drama Centre to discuss the impacts of the savings on their services.
Complete the survey hereCheck out the Redbridge Youth Facebook pageA final report detailing the findings and recommendations will go to Cabinet in April/May.
