Latest news with #Guides
Telegraph
06-08-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Join the Scouts to beat phone addiction, Starmer tells young people
Sir Keir Starmer is to hand extra funding to the Scouts to get children off their phones and into the real world. Pledging an £88m package for youth groups, including the Scouts, the Prime Minister warned on Tuesday that children were 'too often isolated at home' and immersed in the online world. The funding will deliver services including new climbing walls, music lessons and outdoor activities. Groups such as the Scouts and Guides will receive £7.5m to help offer more places for children, while £30.5m will go to improving youth club infrastructure in areas with the highest levels of child poverty. Some £22.5m over three years will be used to fund access in 400 schools across the country to extra-curricular activities such as sport, art and music, outdoor activities, debating or volunteering. The expansion is part of wider efforts to 'reconnect young people with the world around them' amid concerns children are spending too much time online or in their bedrooms, Downing Street said. Announcing the package, Sir Keir said: 'Growing up today is hard for young people. As they navigate their way through the online world, too often they find themselves isolated at home and disconnected from their communities. 'As a Government, we have a duty to act on this worrying trend. Today's investment is about offering a better alternative: transformative, real-world opportunities that will have an impact in communities across the country, so young people can discover something new, find their spark and develop the confidence and life skills that no algorithm can teach.' Downing Street added: 'Young people today are spending more and more of their time detached from the real world, either stuck in their bedrooms or behind a screen, throwing up huge challenges for them and their loved ones to overcome.' Sir Keir said the plans were part of wider efforts aimed at opening up opportunities to ensure 'no child falls through the cracks' ahead of the publication of the Government's national youth strategy this autumn. Young people have been encouraged to contribute to development of the strategy in recent months through focus groups and surveys. Lisa Nandy, the Culture Secretary, said local youth services were the 'bedrock of thriving communities' and that Tuesday's announcement was 'just the beginning' before the youth strategy is introduced.
Yahoo
05-08-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
PM unveils £88m for youth services in bid to tackle online challenges
Sir Keir Starmer has announced an £88 million package for youth clubs and schools as he warned children are 'too often isolated at home' facing the challenges of the online world. The funding is aimed at delivering services like new climbing walls and music lessons in a bid to buck the 'worrying' trend of young people 'detached from the real world,' Downing Street said. Groups like the Scouts and Guides will receive £7.5 million to help offer more places in local communities while £30.5 million will go to improving youth club infrastructure in areas with the highest levels of child poverty. Some £22.5 million over three years will be used to fund access in 400 schools across the country to extra-curricular activities such as sport, art and music, outdoor activities, debating or volunteering. The expansion is part of wider efforts to 'reconnect young people with the world around them' amid concerns children are increasing amounts of time online or in their bedrooms, Number 10 said. Announcing the package, the Prime Minister said: 'Growing up today is hard for young people. As they navigate their way through the online world, too often they find themselves isolated at home and disconnected from their communities. 'As a Government, we have a duty to act on this worrying trend. Today's investment is about offering a better alternative: transformative, real-world opportunities that will have an impact in communities across the country, so young people can discover something new, find their spark and develop the confidence and life skills that no algorithm can teach.' Downing Street said 'young people today are spending more and more of their time detached from the real world, either stuck in their bedrooms or behind a screen, throwing up huge challenges for them and their loved ones to overcome'. Sir Keir said the plans were part of wider efforts aimed at opening up opportunities to ensure 'no child falls through the cracks' ahead of the publication of the Government's national youth strategy this autumn. Young people have been encouraged to contribute to development of the strategy in recent months through focus groups and surveys. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said local youth services were the 'bedrock of thriving communities' and that 'today's announcement is just the beginning' ahead of its launch in the autumn. She said the Government was 'putting young people at the heart of our mission-led government ensuring they have the support and opportunities they deserve so that no one is left behind.' The Duke of Edinburgh's Award charity welcomed the funding package but urged ministers to go further in guaranteeing 'enrichment opportunities' for every young person. Chief operating officer at the charity, John Egan, said: 'This multimillion-pound investment is about so much more than creating new opportunities for art, music and outdoor activities – it's an investment in the resilience, confidence and future of young people. 'As a leading youth charity, we now urge the Government to go further and commit to a youth guarantee, to ensure that every young person has access to the enrichment opportunities that they need to thrive which can't always be found in the classroom.' Shadow culture secretary Nigel Huddleston said: 'After scrapping the National Citizen Service which gave over a million young people valuable opportunities, any investment in youth services is welcome. 'However, young people need more than just skills – they need a growing economy that can offer jobs and opportunities in the future. 'Because of Labour's economic mismanagement and tax rises businesses are closing, there are no jobs, and the economy is shrinking while inflation has doubled. 'Under Labour, the future of the next generation looks bleak.'
The Independent
05-08-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
PM unveils £88m for youth services in bid to tackle online challenges
Sir Keir Starmer has announced an £88 million package for youth clubs and schools as he warned children are 'too often isolated at home' facing the challenges of the online world. The funding is aimed at delivering services like new climbing walls and music lessons in a bid to buck the 'worrying' trend of young people 'detached from the real world,' Downing Street said. Groups like the Scouts and Guides will receive £7.5 million to help offer more places in local communities while £30.5 million will go to improving youth club infrastructure in areas with the highest levels of child poverty. Some £22.5 million over three years will be used to fund access in 400 schools across the country to extra-curricular activities such as sport, art and music, outdoor activities, debating or volunteering. The expansion is part of wider efforts to 'reconnect young people with the world around them' amid concerns children are increasing amounts of time online or in their bedrooms, Number 10 said. Announcing the package, the Prime Minister said: 'Growing up today is hard for young people. As they navigate their way through the online world, too often they find themselves isolated at home and disconnected from their communities. 'As a Government, we have a duty to act on this worrying trend. Today's investment is about offering a better alternative: transformative, real-world opportunities that will have an impact in communities across the country, so young people can discover something new, find their spark and develop the confidence and life skills that no algorithm can teach.' Downing Street said 'young people today are spending more and more of their time detached from the real world, either stuck in their bedrooms or behind a screen, throwing up huge challenges for them and their loved ones to overcome'. Sir Keir said the plans were part of wider efforts aimed at opening up opportunities to ensure 'no child falls through the cracks' ahead of the publication of the Government's national youth strategy this autumn. Young people have been encouraged to contribute to development of the strategy in recent months through focus groups and surveys. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said local youth services were the 'bedrock of thriving communities' and that 'today's announcement is just the beginning' ahead of its launch in the autumn. She said the Government was 'putting young people at the heart of our mission-led government ensuring they have the support and opportunities they deserve so that no one is left behind.' The Duke of Edinburgh's Award charity welcomed the funding package but urged ministers to go further in guaranteeing 'enrichment opportunities' for every young person. Chief operating officer at the charity, John Egan, said: 'This multimillion-pound investment is about so much more than creating new opportunities for art, music and outdoor activities – it's an investment in the resilience, confidence and future of young people. 'As a leading youth charity, we now urge the Government to go further and commit to a youth guarantee, to ensure that every young person has access to the enrichment opportunities that they need to thrive which can't always be found in the classroom.' Shadow culture secretary Nigel Huddleston said: 'After scrapping the National Citizen Service which gave over a million young people valuable opportunities, any investment in youth services is welcome. 'However, young people need more than just skills – they need a growing economy that can offer jobs and opportunities in the future. 'Because of Labour's economic mismanagement and tax rises businesses are closing, there are no jobs, and the economy is shrinking while inflation has doubled. 'Under Labour, the future of the next generation looks bleak.'
The Guardian
05-08-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Ministers earmark £88m for youth clubs and after-school activities in England
Youth clubs and after-school activities in England will receive a funding injection of £88m as ministers try to get more children away from smartphones and computer screens. The package, which Keir Starmer announced on Tuesday, is intended to give pupils access to sport, outdoor activities, art, music, debating and volunteering. The prime minister said there was a 'worrying trend' of young people finding themselves 'isolated at home and disconnected from their communities'. He said the funds were designed to offer young people 'a better alternative' and the opportunity to 'develop the confidence and life skills that no algorithm can teach'. Of the £88m package, £22.5m is new money to fund extracurricular activities in up to 400 schools over three years. The remaining £65.5m was announced in the spending review in June. It will be spent on improving youth club infrastructure, including new gym equipment and climbing walls, in areas with high levels of child poverty and support youth work in areas with high rates of antisocial behaviour. The funds will also support local authorities to provide high-quality out-of-school activities and create thousands of places in youth organisations such as the Scouts, the Guides and the Volunteer Police Cadets. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion The number of youth centres run by local authorities in England almost halved between 2012 and 2023, with council spending on youth work decreasing by 75% and the number of youth workers falling by about 4,500. In the spring UK Youth, the country's biggest youth-work charity, called on the government to urgently increase funding and said Labour had so far spent less than the Conservatives on youth work in England. Angela Rayner, the deputy prime minister, last month told cabinet colleagues that deprivation, immigration and rising time spent online were having a 'profound impact on society'. At a cabinet meeting, she said the government must confront people's 'real concerns' to rebuild trust. In March, Starmer praised the hit Netflix drama Adolescence and invited its makers to Downing Street to discuss the influence of toxic online material. He told the BBC that the series shone a light 'on misogyny, on online content, and this sense of children, particularly boys, getting drawn into this world'. Ministers are preparing to publish a national youth strategy in the autumn. Lisa Nandy, the culture secretary, said: 'Strong local youth services are the bedrock of thriving communities that give our young people safe spaces to learn, grow and reach their potential.'
Hans India
26-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
BC hostels will developed under P-4 model: Savitha
Vijayawada: BC welfare minister S Savitha said that Backward Classes (BC) hostels in the state will undergo development under the ambitious P-4 model championed by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. As part of this initiative, the government will seek assistance from donors and successful students who have benefited from the NTR Overseas Education Scheme. Minister Savitha in a statement here on Friday said that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu initiated the P-4 model as a key component of the Swarnandhra @ 2047 vision, aimed at poverty eradication in the state. The P-4 programme is designed to encourage the top 10 per cent of economically well-off individuals, as part of their social responsibility, to support 20 per cent of the less fortunate. She appealed to students who benefited from the NTR Overseas Education Scheme between 2016 and 2019 to become partners in this well-intentioned programme, named 'Margadarshulu' (Guides) and 'Bangaru Kutumbalu' (Golden Families), and contribute to the development of BC hostels. She suggested that individuals could adopt a hostel, or even one or two students, and support their higher education. Financial assistance could be provided for tasks such as constructing or repairing toilets and compound walls, or setting up RO plants for drinking water. Donors could also install solar power panels for electricity, build additional facility rooms, establish libraries, or provide inverters, CCTV cameras, computers, and other essential electronic items for students. Savitha requested the NTR Overseas Education Scheme students interested in social service and wishing to support poor BC students to contact via email at [email protected] or by phone at 6300876401 and 7989344521.
