Croydon Council is proposing to change its way of engaging with young people, to provide better help to those most in need of support.
The decision to review the Council’s in-house youth engagement service and reduce core Council funding was taken in the March 2022 budget. The Council has concluded the review of the service and, following the ending of the current grant funding in March 2025, is seeking to change the service – to maximise help and support for the young people who most need it, in the most effective way.
Croydon has a strong track record in successfully commissioning partners to deliver targeted services for young people at risk, when and where they need them. Last year Croydon distributed £271k Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) funding to local groups, to carry out outreach, mentoring and diversionary activities in hotspot areas. Following the review of the Council’s youth engagement services, the Council is proposing to build on this approach.
Residents have told the Council that they believe trusted community groups are best placed to provide detached youth services. This is particularly when the young people may be at risk of becoming involved in crime or antisocial behaviour.
Many of the youth engagement services the Council provides are universal – open to all young people, rather than focused on those in need. Some of them are already delivered by other partners in the community – for example the Council commissioned 56 holiday clubs last summer.
To ensure that resources are focused where they will have the greatest impact, the Council is proposing a new approach, to deliver targeted youth engagement services. This will ensure that the Council is not duplicating the work of others. Also, that it is helping those young people who are most in need or at risk.
The council is proposing to commission community partners to deliver focused youth engagement work where and when it is needed, driven by data and demand. In 2025/26, Croydon has earmarked £200k in grant funding from the Home Office and the London Violence Reduction Unit to deliver initiatives to help young people stay safe and well.
“With more under 18s than anywhere else in London, Croydon has an excellent network of community partners who are highly skilled and experienced in working with young people. The Council has a strong track record of working with them to deliver focused help for young people in need of support, from detached youth work to mentoring.
“We want to provide youth engagement services in the best possible and most cost-effective way and, having listened to residents, we are proposing some changes to achieve this. We need to put our resources where they will have the greatest impact, and make sure that young people who need help, receive it in the right place, at the right time.”
Jason Perry, Executive Mayor of Croydon
The Council is consulting staff on the proposal and will update on next steps following the outcome.