Written by Young Person, Rebecca Deane McCann. Posted on 25 March 2026.
Young person, Rebecca Deane McCann writes about fundings cuts to youth work. She discusses her own experience and questions whether funding cuts ignore children’s rights. Dr Siobhán McAlister and Dr Gail Neill respond (found here).
Youth Clubs are only guaranteed funding until June. Does this mean children are only guaranteed a safe space, friends and an environment they can be themselves in until June?
Children flourish in youth work settings, they aren’t expected to be anyone but themselves which allows their confidence to grow in a setting they are never put down in.
I have experienced the impact of youth work myself, as a child that never fit in in a school to a young person that has the confidence to speak out on this issue, I am incredibly grateful for the skills, confidence and life experience youth work has given me.
The threat that youth centres aren’t guaranteed funding past June is a threat to peoples jobs and livelihood but its also a threat to children’s outlets, spaces and rights. If we cannot guarantee children a safe space to grow, have new experiences, meet friends, get out of the house in summer and a place to be themselves then clearly we have not got our priorities straight.
I am a member of the youth research advisory group for RADICAL. This is a study examining children and young people’s understanding and experiences of respect and disrespect. In dialogue hubs, children and young people who took part in the research described youth clubs as fun and safe spaces where you can “express yourself” and “not feel any judgement”. Youth workers were described as supportive, paying attention to them, listening and understanding them and helping and caring for them,
Is this a space that we can’t guarantee for children? Is this an environment that we don’t want to prioritise for children?
Children’s rights are human rights, and this is not something we can ignore. This issue extends beyond just funding for youth clubs it is a concern for the wellbeing of children and young people.
About the Author
Rebecca is a member of the young people’s advisory group for the RADICAL project, and a member of Belfast City Youth Council.