AN OVERALL reduction in events and activities for young people has culminated with the news that Southern Downs Regional Council will not participate in Youth Week, but organisers say it is a pin in an already deflating bubble.

The loss of two council community development staff members and the termination of the council's Young Leaders program has been cited as the reason behind the sparse opportunities to engage Warwick kids and teens in 2018.

Southern Downs mayor Tracy Dobie said a new Southern Downs Youth Council was being established to replace the Young Leaders program.

"The youth council doesn't start until April so yes, it has left a gap,” Cr Dobie said.

Without a dedicated youth worker in the council, Warwick headspace manager Travis Maguire said he noticed a gradual decline in opportunities for young people.

"Without the Young Leaders group there is less happening for young people,” Mr Maguire said.

"If you're not involved in sport there is really nothing much else for the youth in this town.”

Established in 2000, the Young Leaders program gave hundreds of young people in Warwick the opportunity to organise their own events for people their age.

For more than a year, Jack Kearns was involved in the program, putting on events that helped other Warwick kids find a sense of inclusion.

"We did have big turnouts when the programs we did came up. Without that there is not much out there for kids in Warwick,” he said.

Mr Kearns said he was disappointed the program had been discontinued and even more upset youth week would not go ahead.

"I think it's a rubbish decision,” he said. "It does take the power away from the youth.”

The new Youth Council will comprise of school representatives from Years 10 - 12, who will advise councillors on youth community development and funding.

"The schools will go through a selection process and nominating young students who can provide a voice for their student body,” Cr Dobie said.

But the freedom to nominate yourself or your friends has been taken out of kids' hands.

"It is important to have young people themselves running the events themsleves because it is showing their initiative in getting out and organising things to combat the issues going on like young people making trouble for themselves,” Mr Kearns said.

Putting on an indigenous painting workshop was one of the highlights for 19-year-old Mr Kearns in his time as a young leader.

"It was so good to see young people wanting to have a go and participate,” he said.

Mr Maguire said it seemed there was focus shift away from young people in the community.

"I am pretty familiar with a lot of the people who have been involved in the young leaders program they have all been pretty disappointed with the new focus in council,” he said.

"If the kids in our town hear that Youth Week won't go ahead it won't be happy news for them.

"It is the one week of the year where we do have a few things happen for this cohort of citizens.”

With organisations like headspace and SDIEA themselves strapped for money, time and staff, many believe it's time for the council to step up to the plate.

Instead, it has withdrawn its support, saying it would not coordinate or deliver events for Youth Week in a letter to the other organisations.

Southern Downs mayor Tracy Dobie said she invited organisations to apply for funding to put on their own Youth Week events.

"We are asking organisations to come forward and modest funding will be available.”

But just a few weeks out from Youth Week leaves little time for organisations like headspace and SDIEA to take advantage of the opportunity.

"Council used to help us run Youth Week but we just haven't got the time with all the other things we do to run it on our own,” SDIEA program coordinator Grace Smith said.

"Because (the youth development officers) have gone there is no one there in council who knew what we used to do and to start the ball rolling with it which is sad for youth week.”