Croydon’s youth are being sidelined — again.
In a move that’s sparking outrage, the Conservative-led Croydon Council has been called out for quietly pushing forward changes to its Youth Engagement Team (YET) without properly consulting the very people those services are meant to support — young people and their families. The silence wasn’t just loud. It was deliberate. And it’s a slap in the face for a generation already battling rising unemployment, limited mental health support, and the erosion of safe spaces.
Labour MP Natasha Irons put it plainly: the lack of public consultation is “an insult.” And she’s right.
What’s Happening in Croydon?
Let’s break it down. Croydon Council wants to “reshape” youth services, claiming it’s to help the young people who need it “most” and in the “most effective way.” But behind those polished words is a worrying pattern — decisions being made without including the voices that matter.
Since March 2022, Croydon Council has been on a cost-cutting spree, thanks to its own financial collapse. It was declared bankrupt for the third time in 2022 and is still begging the government for a £136 million bailout. Now, to balance the books, they’re cutting the core funding of the Youth Engagement Team — a vital lifeline for hundreds of young people across the borough.
The YET isn’t just a service. It’s a safe space. A support system. A community. It bridges the gap between the council, schools, families, and voluntary organisations. It gives kids — especially in areas like New Addington — somewhere to go, someone to talk to, and something to believe in.
The Consultation That Wasn’t
Here’s the real issue: the consultation process was dodgy from the jump. Parents say they didn’t even know it was happening. Youth weren’t invited to participate. And when they were approached, it was awkward and ineffective. One parent, Charlene, described how two middle-aged council workers came to the local youth club and asked her son questions in a way that shut him down instead of opening him up.
And that’s the story we hear too often — people in power making decisions about youth services without actually speaking to young people in ways that make sense. No workshops, No youth forums, No TikToks, No WhatsApp group updates. Just silence. And then a sudden, “We’ve already closed the consultation.”
Backdoor policy-making at its worst.
Why This Matters for Young People Everywhere
This isn’t just about Croydon. It’s about every young person across the UK who’s being pushed to the sidelines while services they depend on disappear.
Youth clubs are more than hangout spots — they’re preventative tools. They help reduce crime, improve mental health, teach life skills, and create community. Cutting them doesn’t just leave young people without support. It leaves them vulnerable. It leaves families scrambling. And it leaves the door wide open for issues like gang involvement, youth violence, and social isolation.
The truth? A council on its third bankruptcy shouldn’t be deciding the future of youth services without listening to the people on the ground.
The Bigger Picture: Budget Cuts vs. Real Lives
Sure, the council says it’s still investing in youth services — £271K from the Violence Reduction Unit last year and another £200K promised for 2025–26. But throwing money at different programmes doesn’t replace the need for stable, community-led, accessible youth engagement that’s been building trust for years.
And let’s be real: what’s the long-term plan? If the council keeps making decisions without proper input, that trust will be gone for good.
It’s not enough to just say “we’re changing things to help the most vulnerable.” You need to ask young people what that help actually looks like. You need to let them design the change, not just absorb it.
Young Voices Deserve to Be Heard
This generation of young people is smart, switched-on, and socially aware. They care about their communities. They volunteer. They organise. They build their own platforms. But too often, local authorities treat them like background noise.
Croydon’s youth didn’t ask to be ignored. They didn’t ask to have their services taken away. They didn’t ask to be left in the dark while key decisions were made behind closed doors.
But they are speaking up. On social media. At youth clubs. In their homes. And hopefully, soon — in council chambers and boardrooms too.
Inspiration From the Frustration
If there’s one positive to take from this, it’s that young people are waking up to how power works — and how to challenge it.
They’re learning that change doesn’t come by staying quiet. It comes by organising. By demanding better. By voting, creating, writing, speaking, and showing up. Croydon may have tried to silence them, but this could be the spark that ignites something bigger — a youth-led movement to take back their futures.
As Amy from Coventry said in another Inside Success piece, “You’ve got to know your value. Know what you bring to the table.” That includes speaking truth to power when they try to pretend you don’t exist.
What’s Next?
Croydon Council’s consultation report will be discussed on May 13. Young people and their families must be in that room, on that Zoom call, or flooding the inboxes of their local representatives. Because the more invisible you are, the easier it is for systems to erase you.
And if you’re not in Croydon? Let this be a warning — watch your borough, your council, your youth services. Make noise. Ask questions. Show up.
Because your voice matters. And when enough of us speak up, they can’t ignore us anymore.
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