Stormont budget: Youth centre funding freeze to 'hurt hundreds'

A freeze on funding for new buildings and improvements to youth centres will "hurt hundreds of young people", a youth leader has said.

BBC News NI has seen a Department of Education (DE) email saying there is "no funding available" for new youth sector building schemes in 2023-24.

The department has been contacted over how many centres will be affected.

BBC News NI had revealed no new school buildings or school extensions would be started in 2023-24 due to budget cuts.

Work already started will continue but no new school building projects will begin.

But DE is also responsible for funding youth centres and services across Northern Ireland.

In 2022-23, the youth service budget was about £34m, but the Education Authority (EA) has recently been told that may face a cut by £7m or 25% this year.

The email from departmental officials said that "we have been advised there will be no funding available to take forward any new capital schemes in the voluntary youth sector this financial year".

"However, this position will be kept under review."

'Vulnerable young people'

Capital spending is different to day-to-day spending and pays for buildings or infrastructure.

The senior leader at St Peter's Immaculata Youth Centre in Belfast, Stephen Hughes, said they had been waiting for years for a much needed rebuild.

The centre has been in the lower Falls in the city for about 80 years and works with hundreds of young people in the area.

As well as offering a range of activities and educational courses, its staff carry out street work in the area to reduce substance misuse and anti-social behaviour.

For instance, youth workers across Belfast are involved in trying to limit trouble at interface areas.

But Mr Hughes said St Peter's currently had issues such as damp, inadequate lighting, and holes in vents and walls in some parts of the building.

St Peter's Immaculata Youth Centre works with hundreds of young people in west Belfast

"The implications of the cuts have seriously impacted the future lives of some of societies more vulnerable young people," he said.

"The correspondence from DE placing the rebuild of the centre on hold will hurt hundreds of young people in the lower Falls.

"It will also limit their developmental opportunities for years to come."

Youth leaders have previously warned that planned cuts to funding for youth centres will put young people at risk.

The annual funding for education was cut by £70m (2.5%) in the recent 2023-24 budget set by Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris.

However, the real-terms reduction, taking account of inflation, is likely to be higher.

The DE has already axed numerous schemes that helped schools and pupils to save money.

Other programmes, like the Pathway Fund and Sure Start which support early years playgroups and centres across Northern Ireland, have not had their funding confirmed beyond June.

But the EA, which is responsible for most of the day-to-day spending of the education budget, has said it is facing a shortfall of about £200m this year.