On a cold, wet winter night in Peckham, the Damilola Taylor Centre offers a haven of warmth, noise, and activity. While the wind howls outside, a dozen teenage boys are locked in a fast-paced basketball game, a scene made possible by youth workers from the Active Communities Network. This vital space is at the heart of a new national mission to rebuild youth services decimated by years of austerity.
A Generation's Plea: 'I'm Not Safe In Between'
The centre's namesake, 10-year-old Damilola Taylor, was killed 25 years ago on his walk home from a library. His tragic story still resonates powerfully with the young people who use the facility today. Peckham's Labour and Co-operative MP, Miatta Fahnbulleh, recalls a stark conversation from her election campaign. "I can't forget one little girl telling me, 'I'm safe at school, I'm safe at home, I'm not safe in between'," Fahnbulleh says. "That tells you we are not getting it right for young people."
Now a minister in the Communities department, Fahnbulleh has a clear vision: by 2035, no child in Peckham should be more than a 10-minute walk from a youth service. This ambition forms part of the government's first national youth strategy in 15 years, launched by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy in Peckham just before Christmas.
A £500 Million Blueprint to Rebuild After 'Violent Indifference'
The new strategy represents a significant financial commitment to reverse deep cuts. The Labour government will invest £500 million to improve youth services across the country. The plan includes building or refurbishing 250 youth centres and creating 50 'Young Futures Hubs' to provide career and mental health support.
Secretary Nandy framed the policy as a corrective to 14 years of what she termed "violent indifference" towards a whole generation. The figures justify her strong language: Local government spending on youth services fell by 73% between 2010-11 and 2022-23, leading to the closure of over 1,000 youth centres and the loss of more than 4,500 youth worker jobs.
"Austerity decimated the places that brought young people together," Minister Fahnbulleh states. "Places that gave them a sense of belonging and a place for them to feel safe and where they could thrive, disappeared across the country. Today is an exciting start to a different future."
From 'Meaningless Crisis' to Community on the Court
Inside the Damilola Taylor Centre, the impact of a dedicated space is palpable. Sammy, 14, travels for an hour on two buses to attend. "It's changed me a lot," he says. "And having somewhere to come makes you more protected." He admits his behaviour has improved since he started coming, and he now stays focused at school.
Volunteer youth worker Omar Mohamed, 25, sees his role with the 'My Ends' programme as a direct counter to negative influences. He diagnoses a deeper issue among young people: "I think young people are suffering from a meaningless crisis. What should you do as a young person? What's my purpose?"
For 16-year-old Benedict, the centre provides a crucial alternative. "If I wasn't here, I'd be at home doing absolutely nothing," he explains. "Out there is a lot of peer pressure. It's like a community here." Another 12-year-old attendee says the sessions have changed his mentality, teaching him not to give up.
The strategy is linked to broader Labour reforms, including Votes at 16 and a 'Community Right to Buy' to boost local ownership of assets like youth clubs. The Co-operative Party's General Secretary, Joe Fortune, emphasises that "good quality youth services, shaped and owned by the young people who rely on them, must be at the heart of our efforts to build strong communities."
As the rain continues to rattle the roof of the atrium in Peckham, MP Miatta Fahnbulleh is determined to be held to her promise. "Within 10 years, I want young people to have somewhere they can go within 10 minutes' walk," she asserts. "It sounds like a small thing, but I'm going to put my heart, soul and everything into it." For a generation that has grown up with vanishing safe spaces, this new national focus could not be more urgent.
