An Isle of Wight ‘postcode lottery’ has led to calls for a more accessible service for every child and young person.
Network Ryde, which is funded by council tax payers, is being lauded as an example of good practice.
Cllr Michael Lilley is asking the Isle of Wight Council to work with various organisations, to ensure every young Islander can use an out-of-school youth service.
He cited Network Ryde, which provides accessible free youth services to the town’s young people and wants the model replicated elsewhere.
The Ryde Elmfield and Appley representative called cuts in 2018, made by a previous administration, a disastrous decision which led to the emergence of a ‘postcode lottery’ of services from smaller councils – with the voluntary sector trying to fill the gap.
Now, Cllr Lilley’s motion will be heard at the council’s meeting on Wednesday and he wants a consistent quality of support across the Island.
Cllr Lilley said a single mother from Ryde had told him she would not be able to afford a service for her child with special education needs, she would not be able to work and her children would have little or no opportunities, without Network Ryde.
He said it was unacceptable some areas on the Island have no support.
He said:
“We have to face up to this reality. We have no universities and about 40 per cent of our 18-year-olds leave to go to the mainland for higher education and most only come back to visit.
“We have a responsibility to make sure our under 19s have future – or we have a grim future without them.”
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