The IFS research compared offending rates and exam results among teenagers who live in an area where all local youth clubs within a 40-minute walk closed with those among teenagers whose nearest youth club stayed open.
Teenagers whose nearest youth club was closed went on to do worse in school, the study concluded. Young people in London who lost access to a nearby youth club performed worse in their GCSE exams - a decline of roughly half a grade in one subject.
The offending rate - the proportion of residents aged 10 to 17 who commit a crime each year - went from 14 per 1,000 to 16 per 1,000 after youth club closures.
Youth clubs provide support to teenagers that goes beyond recreation, offering mentorship, structured activities such as sports and music, and a safe space for socialising - resources many teens cannot find elsewhere.
Collection
[
|
...
]