CHILDREN AND
YOUNG PERSON’S COMMITTEE – 26 MARCH 2003
ISLE OF WIGHT YOUTH COUNCIL AND TRANSFORMING
YOUTH WORK FUND
REPORT OF THE ISLE OF WIGHT YOUTH EMPOWERMENT WORKER, YOUTH AND COMMUNITY SERVICE
REASON FOR COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION
ACTION REQUIRED BY THE COMMITTEE
Continuing support and encouragement of the
Isle of Wight Youth Council (IWYC) and incorporation into the decision making
processes of the IWC. To keep the IWYC informed of developments and to consider
the IWYC as a valuable means for two way communication between the IWC and the
Island’s Young People.
BACKGROUND
A development in the aim of Local Authorities to improve inclusivity is
to involve young people more in consultation exercises and decision making
processes. The formation of different types of Youth Councils, Forums and
Parliaments has proved to be an effective mechanism to achieve this aim in many
different areas of the country. One of the first tasks of the Youth Empowerment
Worker ( Chris Smy ) was to investigate participatory youth organisations to
discover what worked and what didn’t. After researching ten youth council’s the
following points proved to be important.
1)
The whole
process must be young person led; young people must feel ownership of their
council and initiatives and style of communication e.t.c has to be relevant to
them. A Steering Group of young people has been established to guide the
process through.
2)
Youth Council’s
work best when they are closely involved with the Local Authority and match
their structures to some extent.
3)
An allocated
Youth Worker is key to supporting the young people involved and in facilitating
the processes of communication and project work.
4)
An election
process is essential to ensure inclusivity, legitimacy and representation.
The Youth Empowerment Worker (YEW) is working
closely with the IWC Democratic Services Manager in this regard.
5)
Working closely
with schools is vital as the majority of young people in the age range will in
school. Contact has already been made with Citizenship co-ordinators and the
Youth Empowerment Worker is to attend the next Council of Headteacher’s meeting
in April.
6)
Effort must be
made to include young people who aren’t in school. The college, training providers and specialist housing
projects can take part and negotiations have begun with the Streetsahead street
youth project and the Mobile Youth Initiative as to how they can enable other
young people to be involved.
RELEVANT PLANS, POLICIES, STRATEGIES AND PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Central
Government has issued guidelines to Local Authorities as to how their statutory
Youth Service Provision should be moving forward to address the changing needs
of young people. These guidelines are documented in Transforming Youth Work
publications (D.3.4 : Involving Young People ) and additional resources have
been provided via the Transforming Youth Work Fund.
The Best Value Review of The Youth and Community Service also recommends that the service actively promotes the establishment of the Youth Council ( 1.5 Improvement Plan 9.2)
The Youth Empowerment Worker is also involved in implementing other
areas fulfilling the criteria of the Transforming Youth Work guidelines and the
Best Value review.
CONSULTATION PROCESS
The Best Value Review involved the consultation of young people across
the island and research by Connexions and the Agenda 21 team has also displayed
the willingness of young people to get involved in community issues. The Review
involved consultation with the Statutory Youth Services in other Local
Authorities. The Youth Empowerment Worker looked at ten existing Youth Councils
visiting the support workers of two ( Slough and Portsmouth )
FINANCIAL, LEGAL, CRIME AND DISORDER IMPLICATIONS
The salary of the Youth Empowerment Worker(YEW) is covered by the TYWF until the end of the financial year 2005-2006. The YEW’s current line manager, the Principal Youth and Community Officer has requested an operational budget of £3000 p.a. to cover travel, hospitality and training. The need for a projects budget was discussed at the Executive meeting of 26/2/03 to enable the youth council to put ideas into action and funding from other sources will be sought for specific projects.
There are no legal or specific crime and disorder implications.
APPENDICES ATTACHED
Isle of Wight Youth Council Constitution.
BACKGROUND PAPERS USED IN THE PREPARATION OF THIS REPORT
Transforming
Youth Work – Planning for the Local Authority Youth Service 2003 – 2004
Guidance.
IWC Directorate of Education and Community Development - Best Value Review of the Youth and Community Service.
Contact Point : Chris Smy,
Youth Empowerment Worker. 539498.
Chris Smy
Youth
Empowerment Worker