Archived decisions

Contact: Malcolm Rittman, County Youth Officer, Tel: 01962 846370

1. Summary

1.1 This paper informs Members of the Programme Plan submitted by the Hampshire County Youth Service to develop the opportunities created by the Transforming Youth Work Development Fund (TYWDF) for 2002/03. Appendix 1

2. Background

2.1 The Government has expressed a strong commitment to a robust and expanding Youth Service, "Providing a thriving, responsive, and energetic Youth Service for our young people, and particularly those most disadvantaged, is an extremely high priority", (Anne Weinstock, Connexions Chief Executive.). To support the commitment to Youth Services, Government Ministers announced the TYWDF with guidance in February 2002 for a plan to be submitted by 25 March 2002.

2.2 The guidance states: `The aim of the fund is to raise the overall quality and quantity of youth work and to enable the Youth Service to effectively engage in the Connexions Service and respond to young people's needs.' (DfES guidance, February 2002)

3. Funding

3.1.1 The TYWDF provides temporary additional funding for youth work in 2002-2003 and part of that funding will continue in 2003-2004. There is no commitment to additional funding beyond these two years.

3.2 There are three funding strands, each with specific criteria and priorities. The allocation to Hampshire for 2002/2003 is as follows:

Strand A £183,479

Strand B £183,479

Strand C £40,773

Total for 2002/2003 £407,731

4. Priorities

4.1 The Government is expecting Local Authorities through their Youth Services, to provide the lead in developing a programme plan for the use of the 2002-2003 allocation. The proposed plan must:

· Ensure that youth workers and the Youth Service take their place at the heart of the Connexions Service

· Demonstrate a genuine partnership with financial support for the local voluntary youth sector

4.2 The Hampshire plan will assist the Youth Service to build networks and infrastructure to improve the existing relationship with the Voluntary sector, enable young peoples' involvement in decision making and support the Service's commitment to Connexions.

5. Programme Plan

5.1 A plan was submitted for each of the priority actions to the Government Office for the South East (GOSE) by Friday 22 March 2002. GOSE was expected to agree the TYWDF Programme Plan by 19 April 2002; however, final approval was received 30 May 2002. Appendix 2

6. Recommendation

That the Programme Plan in response to the Transforming Youth Work Development Fund, approved by the Government Office for the South East, be supported.

Section 100D - Local Government Act 1972 - Background Papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

N.B. The list excludes:

1. Published works

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

Nil.

Appendix 1

Department for Education and Skills

Transforming Youth Work Development Fund

Aims & Objectives

Aims

To raise the overall quality and quantity of youth work and to enable the Youth Service to effectively engage in the Connexions Service and respond to young people's needs

Key Objectives

· Developing and introducing innovative and imaginative youth work projects with particular emphasis on projects designed to enhance the engagement of young people in local democratic processes and/or which celebrate cultural diversity and promote community cohesion, and combat youth crime and youths causing annoyance;

· Building capacity for the Youth Service to engage effectively with Connexions;

· Introducing a Common Planning Framework; and

· Developing and strengthening partnerships between the Voluntary and Statutory Youth Service sectors.

Local Authority Role

Funding allocations of £9 million (Strand A), £9 million (Strand B) and the full £2 million (Strand C) are available to Local Authority Youth Services in partnership with local Voluntary Youth Service for 2002 - 03.

Local Authorities through their Youth Service are asked to provide the lead and accountable body role in developing a `Transforming Youth Work Development Fund (TYWDF) Programme Plan' for the use of their allocation for 2002 - 03.

Typically the TYWDF Programme Plan should be between 4 and 6 sides of typed A4 (and should not exceed 10 sides). Local Authorities will need to clearly indicate the outputs and outcomes that they will achieve, and set milestones. The production of a Youth Service plan must feature as an output.

TYWDF Programme Plans should be submitted to reach Government Offices no later than Friday 25^th March 2002. It is suggested that the Local Authority Youth Service make contact with Government Office and Connexions Partnerships at the earliest opportunity to discuss the development to their TYWDF Programme Plan in advance of submission.

TYWDF Programme Plans should be able to demonstrate both a clear impact on the local voluntary youth sector and meaningful dialogue with the Connexions Partnership and the Connexions Partnership Local Management Committee. It is, essential that prior to submission, proposals have the full support of the Connexions Partnership.

Local Authorities will need to prioritise the focus for their TYWDF Programme Plans against the criteria outlined for each of the Strands A-C (see Annex 2). It is not suggested that each activity or action is addressed under each of the assessment of need with the Voluntary Youth Service and Connexions Partnerships. Youth Services are advised to make use of the needs analysis produced by the Revised Mapping Tool. The involvement of young people in developing the TYWDF Programme Plan is actively encouraged.

Under Strand A, Local Authority Youth Services are expected, as a condition of grant, to lead on the production of a comprehensive `Youth Service Plan' that will encompass all youth work undertaken by the Statutory and Voluntary Youth Service and feature as a key output of the TYWDF Programme Plan. DfES will be providing guidance on the introduction of a `Common Planning Framework' for Youth Services in the Spring term (2002) which services will be expected to adopt in drafting their Youth Service Plan over coming months. The TYWDF Programme Plan should include proposals for how the Youth Service Plan will be produced - it is anticipated that the Youth Service Plan will need to be available by the end of autumn 2002.

Under Strand B, Local Authority Services need to be particularly vigilant in ensuring that community cohesion actions, and actions designed to tackle the issue of youth crime and youths causing annoyance, feature highly and complement the recommendations in the Public Order and Community Cohesion (POCC) reports, particularly in areas that feature culturally diverse communities.

Under Strand C, Local Authorities are encouraged to continue their support via matched funding for this grant at the same level as the 2001-2002 Youth Service Standards Fund Grant, and to include Voluntary Youth Service sector personnel in training programmes. Funds may be used from across Strand C and Strand A (see Annex 2, 7^th bullet Approved activities and actions under Strand A) to meet proposals for staff development and training.

Funding is likely to be released on a phased basis in accordance with the agreed programme of activity and subject to the normal financial probity requirements.

It is strongly advised that Local Authority Youth Services give careful thought to exit strategies where applicable, particularly for activities proposed under Strand B, including continuation funding implications for `revenue rich' activities or actions.

Services are encouraged to give priority to one-off spending which will add value and which can be matched or supported in future years from existing resources, particularly revenue or recurring budgets. Local Authorities with diverse ethnic communities are strongly advised to feature community cohesion actions as a significant priority. Discussions with black and ethnic minority community groups will aid this process.

Although not a condition of grant, there is an underpinning assumption that there will be a significant contribution in kind from existing youth service resources to match up with local TYWDF allocation which will signal Local Authority commitment to the overarching Transforming Youth Work development programme.

Annex 2 - Approved Activities

Approved activities and action under Strand A

· Local implementation of the `Common Planning Framework' and production of a Youth Service plan. (Mandatory)

· Innovative youth work projects, particularly those designed to enhance the engagement of young people in local democratic processes.

· Engaging effectively with Connexions and developing the capacity for partnership working across the voluntary and statutory youth sector.

· Implementing the OFSTED Self Assessment schedule.

· Supporting peer review models using the OFSTED Inspection Framework.

· Developing and implementing Management Information Systems.

· Staff development and training including management training.

Approved activities and actions under Strand B

· Supporting the development of projects which celebrate cultural diversity, promote community cohesion, and tackle the issue of youth crime and youths causing annoyance.

· Modernising and improving youth service resources, particularly through the provision of ICT to support a wide range of youth work provision concerned with a young person's personal and social development, perhaps through the development of Youth Service `Centres of Excellence'.

· Increasing the youth work resource particularly to support outreach and detached work.

· Involving young people in local decision making processes, including the spending of this and other Government sponsored youth work funds.

· Attracting additional funding or added value support from Local Authorities and other agencies.

Approved local activities and actions under Strand C

The £2 million Standards Funds Grant for Local Authority Youth Work has been brought under the umbrella of the TYWDF for ease of allocation, management and monitoring. Approved activities should focus on youth work training, with a clear priority on supporting training associated with social inclusion, induction and initial youth work training. Youth Services may also wish to include training associated with supporting the development of management skills particularly related to partnership working in the context of Connexions.