Youth clubs were great levellers of the 1980s and 90s. A new wave would go a long way in tackling today’s youth crisis, writes Eliza Filby

For many of us who were young in the 1980s and 90s, youth clubs were a fixture of our childhood. Mine was 20p to enter – a space where I played sports, made music, experimented with art and even had my first kiss. More than just affordable, they were a great leveller – everyone went, regardless of background.

Since 2010, with local government cutbacks, over 1,243 council-run youth clubs have closed. But, as someone who works with multiple companies seeking to hire young people in sectors from engineering to retail, I’m convinced the need for social spaces for the young has never been greater.

The anxious generation

Every era sees its youth as ‘in crisis’, but today’s challenges feel uniquely severe. Youth worklessness is at a 10-year high, school absence has become normalised post-Covid, knife crime is a national crisis and mental health support is severely lacking – leaving many young people without the structure, security and opportunities........

© City A.M.