A BROKEN society, lack of investment in community services for young people is having a devastating impact on young people, according to a youth worker.
Charlie Barrett, a youth worker for 30 years, said: "Society is so different today when I started as youth worker, there are more people living in poverty, more children in care. Society in my opinion is broken, and this is having massive affect on children's mental health and wellbeing.
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"We shouldn't be focusing on the child, but society, where I know people who are working three jobs but still having to rely on foodbanks — what does that say to a child."
Mr Barrett who works with vulnerable young people said that funding for educational and aspirational projects had been cut. He said that youth centres were a safe environment for young people in spotting any issues early.
"We need the money more now than we did 30 years ago and we don't get it," said Charlie, who added: "Every community had a centre with well trained youth workers, and those who thought they were took cool to come in would still hang around it.
"Now there aren't those centres, not that intervention." He added young people face increasing dangers on the street.
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