Welcome to Hull – capital of youth unemployment. Where 50% of young men leave school without a single A*-C grade GCSE. Where chlamydia, gonorrhoea and teenage pregnancy are at the highest levels in the country. Where youth services face being slashed by 75%. And where 40% of people are employed by the city council which is about to cut 1,350 jobs.
The young people of this city have been abandoned. The Lib Dem council is in charge of a budget that is supposed to provide for some of the neediest young people in the country, yet they see fit to cut their provisions to barely a quarter of the already inadequate funding.
Young people in Hull will lose their youth centres, their sexual health clinics, their after school clubs, their EMA and the Learning Zone, a ten week course based at the KC stadium with local rugby and football teams.
Even the shining star of youth provisions, the Albemarle Music Centre, hasn’t escaped the axe. 600 young musicians a week use this centre. It is home to the Yorkshire Young Musicians and the Hull Philharmonic orchestra, as well as 18 other musical ensembles. However, the centre will lose all of its funding.
There is huge anger about the impending cuts. It even triggered a youth-led demonstration during half term. Hundreds of young people and youth workers protested outside the city hall, outside the train station and outside the guildhall, with young people from the Albemarle staging musical protests at each location.
However, this will not be enough. The council will stand firm, despite the pressure of thousands of workers, youth and trade unionists protesting already. The only alternative being offered in the council chamber is a Labour group wanting to cut salaries rather than lead a real fightback.
Hull Youth Fight for Jobs will be joining the march from Jarrow to London in October to call for a better future for young people. We want action from the government to provide jobs, training and decent welfare.
To get involved with any part of the march or for information on other ways you can help see www.jarrow2london2011.wordpress.com
