Northants Police Fire & Crime Commissioner angry young people have been ignored
Danielle Stone says she's delighted £88million has been promised by the government for youth services to 'tackle online challenges'
The Northamptonshire Police Fire & Crime Commissioner (PFCC) says she's angry services for young people have been ignored for so long.
Danielle Stone's comments come as more funding for Youth Services have been announced.
Sir Keir Starmer has announced an £88 million package for youth clubs and schools as he warned children are "too often isolated at home" facing the challenges of the online world.
The funding is aimed at delivering services like new climbing walls and music lessons in a bid to buck the "worrying" trend of young people "detached from the real world," Downing Street said.
Groups like the Scouts and Guides will receive £7.5 million to help offer more places in local communities while £30.5 million will go to improving youth club infrastructure in areas with the highest levels of child poverty.
Some £22.5 million over three years will be used to fund access in 400 schools across the country to extra-curricular activities such as sport, art and music, outdoor activities, debating or volunteering.
"I am so angry with the way the needs of our young people have been completely ignored and neglected over the last 14 years"
The expansion is part of wider efforts to "reconnect young people with the world around them" amid concerns children are increasing amounts of time online or in their bedrooms, Number 10 said.
Danielle Stone said: "I am so angry with the way the needs of our young people have been completely ignored and neglected over the last 14 years, so I cannot tell you how important it is for me to have resource available so that we can put back the services that young people desperately, desperately need, so I'm absolutely delighted"
Announcing the package, the Prime Minister said: "Growing up today is hard for young people. As they navigate their way through the online world, too often they find themselves isolated at home and disconnected from their communities.
"As a Government, we have a duty to act on this worrying trend. Today's investment is about offering a better alternative: transformative, real-world opportunities that will have an impact in communities across the country, so young people can discover something new, find their spark and develop the confidence and life skills that no algorithm can teach."
The Northants PFCC says she sees her work with young people as being more than just about preventing anti-social behaviour:
"What I want to do is put a really positive spin on all of that. I don't see working with young people just being about prevention. I think horrible things happen that involve young people when young people are neglected and when their needs are not met."
Downing Street said "young people today are spending more and more of their time detached from the real world, either stuck in their bedrooms or behind a screen, throwing up huge challenges for them and their loved ones to overcome".
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said local youth services were the "bedrock of thriving communities" and that "today's announcement is just the beginning" ahead of its launch in the autumn.