Youth work is important but it’s under threat. Pledge to invest in growing the service for London's young people.   

The cuts in youth provisions has had more of an impact on us (young people) than people may think and we care - enormously. Young people want and need to be able to socialise in a safe and secure environment. Youth provisions create great opportunities for young people. They give us places of learning, chances to build friendships, access to professional and local support and to have fun! It gives us a place we can call ours. But it's under threat. 

Because of cuts decided by adults, many youth workers are losing their jobs. They are as important to us as the venues and programmes being closed down and under threat. Also, many places we care about are being closed down and hours of delivery being reduced. This issue affects us all, whatever your age. This needs to stop.

We want mayoralty candidates to pledge to invest in and protect youth services in London right now. We can see plenty of money being spent on expensive new homes but not on provisions for the community that already lives here. Quality youth work and services are important to us and important to the whole community. London needs these services.

We came together thanks to the work of the Rio Ferdinand Foundation and Rio supports us on this campaign. 

“I have often said that if I had not been lucky enough to be a professional footballer I would have worked in youth services in some way, as I remember the support and mentoring my friends and I had when we were young, and some of my friends work in that field to this day. In the current climate youth services are increasingly under threat, and while in some parts of London great work continues as with our partnership with Lewisham Council, in other areas youth provision is minimal and young people are missing the opportunities we had when I was younger. 

It is great that young people themselves are recognising the issues confronting them, from youth club closures to jobs to housing, and are campaigning to do something about it. I am proud to support their voice and their cause both personally and via my Foundation.” Rio Ferdinand 

We invite the candidates to meet us, listen to us, acknowledge our campaign, and respond to our views and ideas. Change needs to happen before it’s too late.

Please sign and share this petition and help us show the candidates for London Mayor 2016 how important youth provision is all over London. We can all be part of the solution. 

#InvestInYouthWork