Millions of pounds of is being spent on the government’s flagship citizenship scheme for young people while local youth clubs are closing, councils say.
The National Citizen Service, a four-week summer scheme for 15 to 17-year-olds – accounts for 95% of central government spending on youth services.
But the Local Government Association said only 12% of eligible teens took part in 2016.
The government said the service has improved 400,000 young people’s lives and was investing another £80 million on youth projects.
But the LGA said it was “wrong” that funding was tied up in one “very short programme”, saying more than 600 youth centres had closed between 2012 and 2016. Read more
