NOTES OF EVIDENCE

Meeting	Children and School Results Commission
Ref	CPC02/05/07
Date	Wednesday, 2 May 2007 18.00 to 19.10
Place	Committee Room 1, County Hall, Newport, Isle of Wight
Purpose of meeting	Formal public meeting
Attendance	Commission members – Cllrs Gill Kennett (Commissioner), George Cameron, Win McRobert, Muriel Miller Apologies – Cllrs John Effemey, David Whittaker Cabinet member – Cllr Melanie Swan Officers – Mr Steve Beynon, Mr Paul Thistlewood
Agenda Items
1. Notes of previous meeting	The notes of the meeting held on 11 April 2007 were agreed.
2. Declarations of interest	Cllr George Cameron declared a personal interest as he was on the RCC Board of Trustees with Mr Priest.
3. Youth Engagement Strategy	Papers considered :- Written evidence from Mr Richard Priest, Co-Leader, Shanklin Voluntary Youth and Community Centre. Stakeholder present :- Mr Richard Priest Evidence :- (i) Voluntary Youth Centre established in Shanklin following closure of the Council operated facility in 1965. (ii) Many of those who attend the Centre over the years come back to volunteer for activities or help undertake maintenance and improvement works. (iii) Sense of responsibility and behaviour consistent whether a volunteer or member and this is rigorously enforced. (iv) Centre open Tuesday and Saturday evening for senior members and Friday for juniors. (v) The Centre and approximately 100 senior members and 500 junior members and a number of these were from outside the town of Shanklin. (vi) Centre used at other times for a range of activities such as Learn direct Courses, martial arts, Polling Station and blood donors. This helps give the Centre a community focus. (vii) Hirers of the Centre were subject to the same rules about behaviour, including no smoking, as those attending the Youth activities. (viii) Main aim of the Centre is to get young people through the door by offering a menu of activities that they want to be involved in. (ix) Membership subscription of £3 per annum plus £1 for attending each night. Members can them enjoy free use of all equipment. (x) Council’s Youth Service bound up with statutory requirements. The Voluntary Centre shares the same desires and outcomes but getting young people engaged was the main driving force rather than policies and procedures.
	(xi) There were 3 main people responsible for the operation of the Centre. One of these always had to be in attendance to supervise the volunteers. One was a qualified Youth Leader. (xii) When a young person wanted to become a member the parents were invited to look around and advised of the rules. They were also invited to consider giving time to assist at the Centre dependent upon their own willingness and availability. (xiii) There was need for the Centre to have an agreed exit strategy with the Council for if and when the current 3 organisers stepped down and replacements were not forthcoming. (xiv) Would like to have capacity to undertake survey to assist with seeking grant funding. (xv) Any problems outside the Centre caused by members or non members were dealt with by talking to the parents. (xvi) The Centre had very good links with the local Police Officers and they often attended the Centre for coffee and chats. (xvii) The members were able to identify what equipment or activities that they would like to use resources for. This gave them responsibility, engagement and ownership. (xviii) There were resource demands, both financial and administrative, upon voluntary organisations getting CRB checks undertaken on volunteers. (xix) The Centre would welcome the use of a local authority funded youth worker but because of the administrative work involved would not wish to be the employer. (xx) More established links between voluntary organisations and the Council would be welcome. (xxi) The option of investing in less facilities but with capacity to deliver more activities should be looked at. This could also involve the provision of public transport services to enable young people to travel to such facilities. (xxii) No liaison between the Centre and School Cluster on the delivery of services or activities.