ANNEX THREE

Connexions strategy and Connexions service section 8.3 refers

YOUTH SERVICE.

TRANSFORMING YOUTH WORK DEVELOPMENT FUND

1. The Youth Service is considered to be a major contributor to the delivery of the Connexions strategy in all aspects of its work with 13-19 year olds, and in particular by providing Personal Advisers it makes a contribution to the Connexions Service.

2. The regional Business Plan recognises that the 25% of a Youth Worker role can be directly attributed to personal advice and guidance and 75% is on Connexions strategy related activities.

3. The Transforming Youth Work Development Fund (TYWDF) has been released to allow the Youth Service to work more closely with Connexions. This has provided the Isle of Wight Youth Service with £48,000 of additional funding. A breakdown of project spend can be obtained from the Principal Youth Officer.

4. The TYWDF will create an additional post to develop an Island-wide Youth Forum. The Youth Forum will draw together all the existing fora for young people including Wight 2B Heard, Town Youth Councils and the Connexions Youth Sub-Committee. It will provide organisations with a single point of access for consultation with young people and become the Voice of Island Youth. The Island Youth Forum will meet monthly at the Connexions Young People's Office in Newport.

5. This post links directly with the cross-cutting Best Value review on Opportunities for Young People.

6. The TYWDF Worker will work closely with the Wight 2B Heard Co-ordinator and the Connexions Team of "Connexors". (Connexors are trained young people who will provide an interface between service users and service providers by acting as Peer Mentors.)