Petition underway to stop cuts to Birmingham's youth services

Birmingham City Council is planning to cut its anti-knife crime budget despite another teenager being stabbed to death last weekend - but a petition has now been launched to stop the cuts.

Knife crime has become one of the biggest issues across the UK in recent times - with Birmingham seeing a number of tragic incidents over the last few years, with the latest victim, 17-year-old Muhammad Hassan Ali, dying metres from the council house after being stabbed last Saturday (January 20).

The council is looking for ways to save money after declaring itself bankrupt last year and its equal pay liability could cost £760m. The city council also needs to stump up £100m to fix its flawed IT system.

The remaining youth centres Birmingham, its anti-knife crime programme and youth workers who deal with the most vulnerable and potentially violent children in the city are all under threat.  Youth workers and community leaders in the city are also now concerned the Resilience to Resolve Anti-Knife Crime Programme will not be renewed in March to save £1 million annually despite its life saving importance.

Petition launched to stop cuts

The Save Birmingham Youth Service campaign is now underway. The Change.org petition currently has 466 signatures with an aim of getting 500.

A statement on the Change.org petition, read: "Save Birmingham Youth Service (SBYS) are extremely concerned by the proposed substantial cuts to Birmingham Youth Service. This service has a long history of delivering high-quality youth work and supporting young people in our city. It operates 18 City Council-run youth projects and centres, particularly in areas of high deprivation. The potential closures of these will have a detrimental impact on the lives of young people in Birmingham."

"The proposed cuts threaten not only the existence of these vital spaces but also the loss of universal youth work, and our crucial youth violence programme. These Centres and projects provide safe spaces for Birmingham's young people and are run by professionally qualified youth workers who dedicate their lives to improving the lives of young people, services for support, guidance, and safety. The loss would be immeasurable - not just in terms of facilities closed or programmes cut - but in futures disrupted and opportunities lost.

"We cannot stand by while such an essential service is threatened with cuts that will undoubtedly affect some of our most vulnerable young people. Our children and teenagers need us now more than ever before."

You can see the petition in full, here.