A growing number of youth organisations across Yorkshire and the Humber are facing an alarming and uncertain future as we approach March 2025. With the conclusion of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) in many areas, and overly subscribed trusts pausing their application processes, the precariousness surrounding open access provision is becoming a serious concern. The stark reality looms that not only may many essential youth sessions end—particularly in areas already plagued by high deprivation—but there is also the devastating possibility that some organisations could be forced to permanently close their doors.

This potential collapse of services threatens to leave countless young people without vital support at a time when they need it most. The impact on communities could be profound, mirroring the lasting damage seen in the aftermath of the austerity cuts since 2010. We cannot allow history to repeat itself and we cannot afford to lose the experienced staff we have left – this would be detrimental to young people and to the sector, especially emerging youth workers.

The National Network of Youth Work Units is proactively working to gather data from youth organisations regarding their financial outlook. From this data, we aim to convene representation from organisations to explore viable solutions.

Please complete the survey below so that we can build an accurate picture of what the youth sector in Yorkshire and Humber is facing. We’ve made it as short as possible!