Agenda item

Purpose: To receive an update on progress with developing activities for teenagers.  

The Commission considered a report (Agenda Item 8) concerning youth activities available in West Berkshire.  This was in follow up to the Commission’s discussions on this subject in May 2010. 

Julia Waldman opened the item by making the following points:

·                    A new initiative was being introduced by the Government to empower local communities and groups.  This included children and young people.  Formal policy to support this intention was awaited. 

·                    Confirmation of future funding had not been received, but an Early Intervention Grant, worth around £2bn by 2014/15, had been announced which was intended for the disadvantaged and most marginalised young people.  This amount was not ring fenced and would replace various, although not yet identified, local authority funding streams.  It was unclear what the total value of these would be and whether its total value would equal the combined sum of those streams or represent a funding cut.

·                    It was expected that a proportion of this funding, estimated at around £1bn, would be available to the voluntary sector to bid for from April 2011. 

·                    Service reviews were being conducted to look at the delivery of integrated services with, for example, Connexions and the substance misuse service.  This was in response to the Youth Service being targeted for funding cuts and therefore a need to downsize and focus resources.  This made starting new work/projects difficult. 

·                    It was hoped that there would be scope to increase partnership working and the opportunities for this would become clearer once details of the Early Intervention Fund and other financial allocations were confirmed. 

·                    Future funding for schools would not be clear until 2011.  It was however expected that the school sports grant would be cut.  It was not seen as likely that schools would be able to contribute funding to Council initiatives as they had their own priorities to meet.

Clarity was then sought on information that was circulated at the time of the Executive’s discussions on cuts, that suggested it was the intention to keep youth and community centres open and reduce detached (outreach) work as fewer young people were involved.  On receiving clarification, Members were pleased to note that this was not to be the way forward but it was queried whether there had been a changed focus.  Mark Vernon explained that there had been and were no immediate plans to reduce detached work and it was unclear from where a different impression had been given.  It was noted that Hampshire County Council had announced its intention to focus on mainstream youth work rather than detached work at a similar time. 

Mark Vernon then outlined the actions that had been undertaken and planned within the Youth Service since the Commission’s discussions in May 2010:

·                    Immediate action was required following the in-year budget reduction and in order to meet the managed vacancy factor.  The majority of savings had to be found from the staffing budget, as this amounted to 85% of the overall budget, and from the centres at which they were based.  The Theale Youth and Community Centre had been closed, but the team with responsibility for this area was still in place so a level of activity continued. 

·                    Current income targets were difficult to sustain.  This was due to the nature of Youth work changing, which meant that less projects were being run that required payment.  In addition, parents had less disposable income.  However, £275k had been received from income in 2009/10. 

·                    The move back to the new Dolphin Centre in Pangbourne was completed on schedule, but there had been some disruption to services.  It was hoped that numbers would begin to return to normal levels.  A large number of voluntary staff complemented the five full time members of staff and part time staff.  There were targets in place for the number of contacts and participants, this helped to measure the effectiveness of the activities provided, but these might need to be reviewed if staffing levels were to reduce.  The need for quality activities/services was therefore important, not just quantity.  The vast majority of attendees at the Dolphin Centre were West Berkshire residents, but there was of course some attendance from those living in Reading and other local authority areas. 

·                    75% of all resources were allocated to work with young people aged 13-19 years, the remaining 25% was currently allocated to targeted work with vulnerable groups.  Resources were being shifted to a greater focus on work with more vulnerable young people. 

·                    The Youth Service curriculum was based on the themes set out within Every Child Matters and the impact that work was having could be analysed against these themes. 

·                    Positive Activities Programmes included work with young people who were NEET (not in education, employment or training).  Data was captured within the Education Service from a variety of sources to help evidence the level of success that work with NEET young people was having. 

·                    Data capture and monitoring would be enhanced through the development of a Management Information System (MIS).  The system was in its first year of use and captured a range of information on participants and the activities they were undertaking including evaluation.  This would be an important tool in future planning.  The system was also able to record some data from young people contacted via detached work, including whether they were referred to another agency.  Members were pleased to note that the increased measurement of activity would help to demonstrate achievements. 

·                    Four Area Youth Consultative Committees were in the process of being established, their first meetings had been held in October 2010.  These included representation from young people and were designed to give young people a voice in shaping the future focus of youth services.  Members were also involved in these Committees. 

·                    Enhancing the profile of the Youth Service was important, but there was a need to manage expectations on what could be delivered and the Press Office was worked with in this regard.  Regular bulletins were issued to schools, parish councils and Members.  Wider publication was conducted via the Youth Service website (the Download) and plans for a Facebook-type communication system were being discussed with ICT. 

·                    The Youth Service did have sight of parish plans when they had reference to activities for young people.  Parish plan meetings were also attended. 

Members queried the level of impact that the closure of the Theale Youth and Community Centre and other closures had on those young people who attended them.  Julia Waldman advised that detailed work had yet to be conducted on this as the main focus currently for staff was on increasing services for more vulnerable young people, including ways to help increase their life chances and reduce incidents of anti social behaviour.  Funding pressures meant that generic activities had to be reduced, but an impact assessment/gap analysis would be conducted in due course. 

Mark Vernon advised that staff were being consulted on the service structure and services to be provided for 2011/12.  Proposals were based on the funding available in the next financial year and included a reduction from three to two area teams, one based in Thatcham covering Thatcham and the east and one in based in Newbury covering Newbury and the west.  This reduction did not necessarily mean a reduction in Youth Workers but management costs would be reduced.  Although teams were based in Newbury and Thatcham, staff were continuing to work across the District. 

The item was originally placed on the work programme as a result of reoccurring concerns raised within the annual resident’s survey regarding a lack of activities for teenagers.  Members queried why this was the case and Mark Vernon responded by advising that the survey was completed by adults who perhaps had a false perception.  A similar exercise was conducted with young people a few years ago and approximately 65% were content with the activities that were on offer.  The results of the last Tell Us survey (nationally run young people survey) showed that 72% of young people in West Berkshire were satisfied with the activities available, this was above the national average of 66%.  Analysis of the responses received from the paper chain exercise organised by the Berkshire Association of Clubs for Young People was also beginning.  This recorded the wishes of young people across the District. 

RESOLVED that the update information would be noted and the item returned to in six months time to assess the progress made.