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95 jobs at risk as Sheffield Futures saves £700,000
NEARLY 100 jobs are at risk at a Sheffield Council-funded charity that helps young people get into work.
Sheffield Futures, which runs the Connexions youth careers service as well as personal development and social inclusion projects, has started consultations with staff as it prepares to cut 95 jobs - more than a quarter of its staff.
The organisation, which employs 368 people, is one of the worst-hit as Sheffield Council slashes this year's spending by 6.5 million.
Workers and union representatives today slammed the cutback as hitting the young hardest.
One furious Sheffield Futures employee, who asked to remain anonymous, told The Star: "What makes me so angry is the fact that so many cuts are going to affect young people.
"As far as I understand this Government doesn't actually have a youth policy. Why do the cuts to young people's services have to be so hard?"
Nearly half of the council's savings this year, 3.15 million, is falling on the council's youth provision.
Sheffield Futures is losing more than 700,000 from funding it had been promised for 2010/11.
Around 400,000 has been cut from its Connexions budget and 296,000 from its youth service contract funding.
The council has also axed 153,000 from the Positive Activities for Young People fund - some of which goes on Sheffield Futures projects.
Managers at the organisation have also been told they must make around 25 per cent savings over the next four years, in line with other council-funded groups.
Chief executive Lucy Oliver said: "Sheffield Futures is in the process of informing staff that the impact of reduced funding in this year could affect up to 95 staff across the organisation.
"The full impact of the cuts to our services is yet to be finalised. We are working in consultation with staff and union representatives."
Unison Sheffield branch chair Jon Mordecai, whose union represents many Sheffield Futures staff, said he will meet senior management tomorrow to discuss the consultation process.
He said: "These are people who give careers advice to young people across the city, including those in poorer areas.
"Prime Minister David Cameron said he would protect frontline services.
"Both the last Government and the current regime said their priority was to keep young people in employment or training.
"That's not what they are doing."
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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