ONE of my first roles as chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee will be to lead an inquiry into youth work. Having sat on this Committee for many years, this snapshot inquiry will be the first time that the Committee has looked into youth services across Wales.

I was pleased therefore to accept an invite to visit Torfaen Council’s youth service at Ashley House last week to hear about the wide range of services and projects they deliver to young people throughout the constituency.

Projects that focus on health and well-being, such as ‘Baby Think It Over’. A fantastic project that uses reality babies to demonstrate the practicality of looking after a new-born for 24hrs, as well as focusing on the development of meaningful relationships, career training and prevention of unplanned teen pregnancy.

It was really heartening to hear about the work carried out by the youth service which can be, quite simply life-changing. Life changing not just for one generation, but for the next and so forth, and for me that really hits home how invaluable this service is.

However, there continue to be tough times ahead and difficult decisions to make to meet the steep cuts that have been inflicted by the Tory UK Government.

A recent article in The Guardian highlighted the reality of provision of youth services in England, many of which have been forced to shut their doors due to increasing local government spending pressures. Many councils in England are now in the process of establishing youth trusts-charitable organisations that will look to raise funds from outside local government to commission additional youth services. That is not a road I would want to see us taking in Wales.

The Committee’s consultation, which closed on Friday, will aim to look at all of the above and I am looking forward to reading the responses received and hearing evidence which will help us, as a Committee, to assist with the inquiry.

If you have any questions, would like to know more about the inquiry or how to become involved in your local youth service, please get in touch: Lynne.Neagle@assembly.wales 01495 740022.