Youth and community services in Birmingham have long been a pillar of support for generations of young people. However, a sharp decline in provision has left many feeling that the city's youth are being 'let down everywhere.' With only 13 council-run youth sites still operating and a fourteenth expected to open in August as part of a national government initiative, the landscape of youth support is changing.
Charities also provide numerous youth sites across the city, working tirelessly to support the next generation. But despite these efforts, residents who grew up in the West Midlands have voiced concerns about the shrinking opportunities for young people.
Voices from the Community
John Tipper, a 38-year-old from Smethwick, spoke to BirminghamLive while in Newtown on May 21. He expressed deep concern: 'Young people are being let down everywhere really. They had their lives disrupted by the pandemic to protect other people, and it's been six years since, and they haven't really had the support they needed.'
He highlighted the closure of youth centres across the city and the country, which once provided 'a meaningful place to go and meaningful stuff to do.' John described this as 'a sign of a lack of investment in our young people.'
Activities Moving Online
John noted that activities for young people have 'moved online,' with children seemingly 'born with a phone attached to them.' He said: 'It's a symptom of there not being a great deal to do. You can go hang out in town, you can go hang out in the park—if you feel safe to go. But in terms of organised stuff, there's very little.'
While he commended community groups doing 'great work,' he added that 'where the Council and the Government has pulled away, there is only so much they can fill in.'
Impact on Behaviour
Reflecting on his own teenage years, John recalled multiple youth centres in his area that have since closed. He warned: 'Youth centres were safe places for people to go. You can't not give people the opportunity to learn the skills they need—and then complain when they haven't got the skills.'
The decline in youth services, he argued, has directly impacted children's behaviour, leaving them without structured activities or safe environments to develop.
As Birmingham awaits the new government-funded youth site, residents like John hope for a renewed commitment to investing in young people, ensuring they have the support and spaces they need to thrive.
