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Youth centre concerns
• I HAVE a few concerns relating to your article about the Samuel Lithgow Youth Centre (SLYC) (Youths plan boycott over early closure of their club, Mar 22).
First of all, the headline is very misleading as there are no plans for an early closure of the centre. This claim is not substantiated anywhere within the article, and I have to ask why it was used.
Changes in the funding of the SLYC are affecting the way the project is staffed. Our staff for many years have been seconded from Camden Youth and Connexions Service (CYCS). The project will be funded by Grant Aid in the future, which does affect the way it is staffed.
However, it is not the intention of CYCS to move the staff at the end of March. We are talking to CYCS about hiring members of their team with the Grant Aid funding provided.
Naturally, if this is possible, each staff member will have to decide whether to take up the option or not. Everyone is very aware of the value of this project. Any statement indicating that staff are simply going to be removed from the project is not correct.
Lastly, the SLYC, and Camden Council, are already looking at ways by which the services currently provided by the centre may be temporarily relocated locally while the work is done, so that the clubs and other activities may continue in some form. It is not our intention to simply shut the doors and leave our users with nothing to do.
PETER WATTS
Chairman, Samuel Lithgow Youth Centre
Stanhope Street, NW1
• READERS of your story (Youths plan boycott over early closure of their club, Mar 22) would not be aware that the Samuel Lithgow Centre itself asked us for funding to employ its own youth workers.
At the moment Camden Council employs youth workers to run activities for young people at the centre three times a week.
In response to the centre’s request, Camden has given it £45,000 funding for 2007/08 to hire and manage its own staff. This is actually an increase in funding for the centre.
I want to let the young people who use the Samuel Lithgow Centre know how important we think it is they can continue to enjoy and benefit from activities there.
This is why we are working closely with the centre’s staff to make sure the handover is gradual, sensitively managed and explained properly to the young people. There was also never any intention to move staff as of April 1 as suggested.
In fact, members of Camden’s Youth and Connexions team were down at the centre last week talking things through and answering questions.
Under the new arrangement youth workers now at the centre will move to other youth services in Camden. They will still be employed by the council and their jobs are safe.
CLLR JOHN BRYANT
Executive Member for Children
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