Despite high needs, the Merseyside borough has the most youth work ‘black holes’ of any local authority in England
Youth work ‘black holes’ in half of all council areas in England, study finds
“I feel like I’m failing because I can’t reach everyone,” said Toni Dodd, the centre manager at Karma in the Community, a youth service in Knowsley on the outskirts of Liverpool.
“I’ll go over and get kids hanging outside the shops, bring them in, but it’s who am I not reaching? It just takes one thing and they’re on that track into crime, into drugs. There are kids going into school on ketamine. I do all I can but it’s so hard to keep it open and running, and you can’t meet the demand there is.”
Young people in Knowsley don’t have it easy. Research by Social Investment Business (SIB) and the University of Leeds shows that of all local authorities in England, it has the most youth work “black holes” – areas with high need in the form of deprivation and antisocial behaviour, but few or no youth services.
