Youth clubs provide support amid cost of living crisis

Deaf World hosts cricket sessions in Digbeth

Youth organisations say the cost of living crisis is impacting on the mental health of young people.

Deaf World, in Birmingham, supports about 90 young people aged between 11 and 25 with hearing loss, running youth clubs, driving projects and cricket.

It recently received money from the UK Youth charity, which set up grant funding to support organisations amid the cost of living crisis.

The government said it was increasing youth provision.

Among those who use Deaf World's services is Amin Habib, 25, who began to suffer hearing loss at the age of five.

Amin Habib first joined Deaf World when he was at school

"If people are not joining projects and getting involved it can feel quite lonely," he said.

"My family are hearing and I felt like sort of isolated, but obviously there are other people with hearing loss, they can come in, join, they can feel part of something."

In a recent poll of young people in the West Midlands, UK Youth found 48% of those it spoke to had seen their mental health deteriorate due to the cost of living crisis.

Sammey Ahmed said it was helping young deaf people who are worried about their finances

Deaf World support worker, Sammey Ahmed added: "It is worrying so... for us that is why we are trying to set up these roads to wellbeing, really, to help people become more comfortable, more confident, know how to afford things, what to get involved in."

UK Youth said it was concerned the government was not doing enough to support young people and launched its fund in association with the Pears Foundation, to ensure groups can continue supporting young people.

Out of 331 youth organisations it spoke to, more than half said they had seen a decrease in funding.

UK Youth said organisations were seeing greater calls for support despite decreases in funding

Kayleigh Wainwright, its director of collective action, said: "In an already stretched service, where youth workers are providing that vital support, they are under increased pressure because of the increased needs of young people and the increased costs that we are all experiencing."

A spokesperson for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport said its Youth Investment Fund would help rebuild and redevelop 300 youth centres across the country, to allow 45,000 more young people get access.

In March it announced funding for four youth centres in the West Midlands, with a total of £6.5m going to the area.