Ivan Lewis went to address Britain’s biggest gathering of youth and community workers this week, armed with a document declaring “peace in our time”.

The youth minister has signed-up all the key players in youth and community work to a framework for co-operation and action. The latter have sanctioned the role of Connexions - on the anniversary of its birth - as the centrepiece in advice and guidance for all 13 to 19-year-olds.

However, making it work will take more than names on an accord, Mr Lewis accepts. Much depends on the generosity of his paymaster Chancellor Gordon Brown in this summer’s comprehensive spending review. Even then, to get the service at the centre of the fight against youth crime and a host of other teenage needs and demands, will take a third term of Labour government.

The problem is that while politicians have argued the toss for at least 50 years over whether the youth service has a statutory role, it has been starved of cash, training and workers. Local services have shrunk from 10,000 to 5,000 youth workers in five years and 140 local education authorities spend less than 2 per cent of budgets on them.

Ironically, a trade union, the Community and Youth Workers Union - which held its national conference this week - provides more training than the local authority employers.

Then there’s the question: statutory provision of what? Connexions covers youth support work, intervention, careers, voluntary and community work and post-16 pastoral support. When it was launched it was seen as a vague, ill-defined notion.

Ivan Lewis says: “It is a single but differentiated service to meet the needs of all young people.”

That’s not exactly a phrase that trips off the tongue to grab popular attention. But it will come, Mr Lewis insists.

“Connexions will be radical in its involvement. Many of the young people most at risk - dropping out and drifting into crime - are either without appropriate parental support or without an adult they can trust. Personal advisers will provide the first adult in their lives in whom they can trust and get a response.

“Even when young people become teenagers, they still want boundaries, positive attention, affection and love. Many have not had a satisfactory relationship with an adult, which makes it hard for teachers to reach them. The young feel let-down and alienated.”

Mr Lewis’s answer is an army of trained adults backed by a new breed of young people who can empathise and who see the youth advice and guidance service as a good career route. He can speak with experience as he left school early to do precisely that - his route to politics.

Connexions will bring added support to the system with up to 40,000 mentors. “I want the youth service at the heart of government policy-making,” he said. Measures to improve training and retain staff were under review.

But the stumbling block to further progress is the question of what is statutory. Without such a definition, conflicting agencies from the CYWU, careers service, National Youth Agency and local authorities fight their corners for limited funds.

The Association of Colleges has been notable in voicing its support. David Gibson, chief executive, said: “We really need it. Where it works, it works well.” Bristol was a glowing example of good local co-operation and planning, as was the London borough of Tower Hamlets, where everyone from the local authority to faith-based voluntary groups work together.

Mr Lewis said: “Where Connexions is up and running it makes a difference. Elsewhere provision is patchy. But we are only one year into it. There are only 15 local Connexions up and running.” More came on in April and 29 were still to get started.

A record pound;450 million is being spent centrally on youth and careers this year with an extra pound;49m for local authorities and voluntary organisations by 2004.

It is never enough. But then how much is?

“We will have a better idea by the end of this year. We are working closely with local authorities and other agencies to identify and agree for the first time what an ‘adequate and sufficient’ service is. The secretary of state can then intervene if young people are being sold short. Local authorities have a key role but they have to respond to the raising standards agenda,” he said.

So will ministers crack the whip? “No. But we will say we are giving you a chance that perhaps we have not given in the past 15 to 20 years.”