I was shaped by the environment I grew up in: the local community centre’s football club in Balsall Heath, Birmingham, which I joined aged seven, didn’t just teach me to score goals; it unearthed a passion I never knew I had. Coaches transformed dusty clearings into arenas of possibility, honing not only my athletic skills but my confidence.

Yet over the past decade, lively streets, once filled with youth clubs, community football pitches and spaces where friendships blossomed over shared interests, have gradually been transformed into a landscape that feels neglected, even forsaken. The laughter that once echoed through sports halls has faded. Talking to younger relatives and peers reveals a clear picture: the opportunities that once defined our childhoods are vanishing at an astonishing rate.

Since 2010, local authorities in England have experienced an 18% budget cut in real terms per person, and some 1,243 youth clubs closed in England and Wales during that time. A plan was put out last October by Birmingham city council to downsize its youth service to just 23 staff, with most of its 16 youth centres expected to close. It came after councillors voted in March last year to slash children and families services funding by more than £52m in 2024-25 and by a further £63m the following year. And it’s not just youth clubs that have been lost. Sports pitches and libraries are affected too, leaving fewer safe spaces for young people to spend their time. Spring Hill library is an obvious example of neglect by the council – the library has been shut down and no effort or money has gone into reopening it for everyone to use.

Europe’s youngest city, where nearly 40% of people are aged under 25, is failing its youth. The consequences of this have been dire. In neighbourhoods where youth clubs have shut down, the evidence shows tangible negative impacts: teenagers’ exam scores have fallen by an estimated 4%, while the likelihood of criminal behaviour among young people aged 10 to 17 has risen by 14%. Cutting youth clubs didn’t save money – it cost more. For every £1 saved, nearly £3 is lost in increased crime and reduced educational outcomes.

A 2021 Censuswide study reveals the emerging mental health crisis: 52% of British young people report losing confidence in themselves, a decline that has coincided with reduced social spaces and diminished community support. Yet instead of acting, the government is retreating. To an already isolated generation, this is not merely neglect; it’s an act of sabotage.

This isn’t about some abstract nostalgia for football clubs or Friday-night youth groups. It’s about the lifelines that can keep marginalised children afloat. Not every parent can drive their kids to and from paid-for activities, or badger them into mixing with others. For many kids, these free, accessible spaces were the only respite from a turbulent home life, or the pressure to perform academically. I’ve seen withdrawn teenagers become team captains and isolated kids make friends over the pool table. Without these outlets, where will they go?

There are answers, but they require political courage. First, stop the cuts. Birmingham city council’s budgetary slashing of youth services to “save” money is tantamount to refusing to water the garden – you will save time now, but everything dies later. The long-term costs – mental health crises, rising crime, lost potential – will dwarf whatever short-term savings are made.

Second, repurpose underused infrastructure. Our libraries operate at limited capacity, derelict buildings tarnish our neighbourhoods and our high streets are full of empty shops. So why not convert these into sponsored youth “third spaces”, with supervised sports, arts programmes, or even coding hubs? The Gap community centre in Sutton Coldfield, an all-inclusive hub that offers free activities and counselling, is already helping steer younger people away from gangs, crime and antisocial behaviour. It’s a success story in the making – police are reporting fewer antisocial incidents in the town.

A third solution could be to partner with schools as community anchors. Many already run after-school clubs, but with additional funding, they could expand into weekend mentorship or parent-youth counselling run by trained youth workers and social care volunteers.

Young people in Birmingham aren’t begging for privileges. They just need space to breathe, to connect, to grow. Those are the things that gave me my confidence. I only wish that kids could have these same chances today.