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THE lack of a qualified youth worker is being blamed for stalling plans for a young people's club in Hagley.

Hagley Parish Council chairman Steve Colella says the scheme, by a group of sixth form students from Haybridge High School in the village, looks doomed to fail if Worcestershire County Council cannot provide an appropriate group leader.

Youngsters raised concerns there was nothing for 13 to 17-year-olds to do in Hagley at a Partners and Communities Together (PACT) meeting in January.

The young people said they wanted to set up and run their own evening club for the youth of Hagley.

Steve Colella said: "It is a fantastic idea and one that was particularly inspiring because it came from the students themselves.

"It was welcomed as a priority initiative by all parties involved in the PACT meeting such as the police, parish, district and county councillors".

The students secured support and funding from the Parish Council but need a trained and qualified person to lead the initiative.

Steve Colella said: "If the authorities are serious about engaging with teenagers and tackle anti-social behaviour then those with the real power must act to give proper support to such initiatives".

"These students are a credit to Haybridge, their parents and Hagley and for the authorities to fail them would be a crime."

Worcestershire County Council says it is the fourth worst-funded county council in the country and has to target scant resources at areas of high depravation.

They also argue there are many other avenues for the Hagley group to explore and offered help to put them in touch with the right people.

Cllr Liz Eyre, Worcestershire cabinet member for children and young people, said: "Hagley's idea for a youth organisation qualifies it as a voluntary sector group, and therefore they should be able to contact Worcestershire Voluntary Sector Youth Services to help out with their direction of travel, and we will help them out with this."

The Council added they are working on a youth activities strategy which will be put forward for consultation in May.

1:03pm Thursday 27th March 2008

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