Young people are currently being asked for their views on their local area as part of a Bradford Council consultation into services delivered for those aged between 12 and 19.
The consultation, which started on October 28 and runs until November 9 also wants to hear from anyone with a disability up to the age of 25.
It comes days after the president of Bradford College’s students’ union vowed to campaign for the district’s youth service, which faces losing 79 per cent of its budget as Bradford Council makes £89 million of cuts.
Piers Telemacque said the service “means so much more than another number on a spreadsheet” to many young people across the city who have had their lives “transformed” by youth workers.
As the Telegraph & Argus reported on Tuesday, under the controlling Labour group’s draft budget for 2014-16, there would be £3 million of cuts to the Council’s youth services department.
Bradford Council has said that they want to gather opinions from young people on issues that affect them, such as their safety, what there is to do in their area, as well as the provision of health and employment services.
Councillor Ralph Berry, the executive member for Children’s Services, said that the consultation was aimed at all young people and was bigger than just looking at the Youth Service.
He said that the consultation was not specifically to do with the budget and said that he understood where Piers was coming from, but that the Council was one of the last local authorities using such Youth Service provision.
He said: “We are using this consultation to make sure there is a better future for those using the services and feed into the Children’s Plan.
“If we want young people to grow up as active and helpful citizens, we have to do this. I met a group of youngsters recently who suggested a Bradford Youth Mayor and want to look at that idea. Budget pressures actually make it more important that we try and and act with the best level of engagement.
For details and to fill in the online survey visit bradford. gov.uk/surveys/youngpeople/ young_people_s_survey.htm.
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