Archived decisions

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

1 Summary

1.1 This report summarises recent developments in the Hampshire County Youth Service (HCYS) and updates Members on current issues including: the latest Government guidance `Working Together - Connexions and the Statutory Youth Service'; Hampshire County Youth Council work achievements and issues; responsibilities for the Youth Service under the Disability Discrimination Act (1995) and Joint Services to Youth Best Value Review.

2 Working Together - Connexions and the Statutory Youth Service

2.1 The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Young People and Learning has worked with colleagues across Government, Connexions Partnerships, the National Youth Agency, the Statutory Youth Services and the Local Government Association to produce guidelines¹ Working Together - Connexions and the Statutory Youth Service¹. The document sets out guidelines for joint working with Connexions Partnerships and the range of agencies supporting young people.

2.2 The paper outlines how the Youth Service will be part of Connexions and identifies the underpinning principles of the Connexions and Youth Service relationship and is outlined below:

2.2.1 The Youth Service should concentrate at least 80% of its available resources on work with the 13 - 19 year olds. This is in line with HCYS current priorities and resource allocation;

2.2.2 The Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) will continue in the medium term to inspect youth work within the June 2001 revised framework;

2.2.3 All 13 - 19 youth work and resources should be planned, managed and delivered as part of a joint working agreement with the Connexions Partnership underpinned by respective service plans. The current HCYS plan and the proposals for the Strategic Development Plan 2003/6 outline a clear commitment by the Youth Service to the development of Connexions in Hampshire. The HCYS has made a significant contribution to the management of the pilot and the development of future plans.

2.2.4 The Youth Service should continue to support local and democratic and participative models for involving young people and to provide a lead role for this across the Local Authority and the Connexions Service. This is currently a key role for the HCYS and one of the main targets of future work. The work includes support for the County Youth Council, the Connexions Sub-committee, District and local fora.

2.2.5 The role of elected members have in supporting local Youth Services is highlighted and their involvement in local decision making on Connexions is encouraged.

2.2.6 Significant numbers of youth workers are expected to be operating as personal advisers. 4 youth workers are involved in the personal adviser training. Proposals in the Transforming Youth Work Plan highlight that at least two youth workers per district will be trained and involved as personal advisers when appropriate.

2.3 The HCYS will continue to take a lead in the Education Department and manage the contract to co-ordinate Connexions activity in Hampshire. As part of the South Central Connexions Plan, the HCYS will focus about 25% of its resources on Connexions work, which will include support for access and information projects in each district and youth workers acting as personal advisers, when appropriate.

3. Hampshire County Youth Council

3.1 The Hampshire County Youth Council has set monthly meetings for the coming year and has adopted a format for the meetings which enables members to work in groups on issues and plans. HCYC intends to organise two or three events during the coming months. The major event of the year will be residential and those attending will have the opportunity to explore a theme related to the Queen's Golden Jubilee through the use of creative arts. Two issues that have been raised at recent HCYC are the need for a range of local leisure time opportunities for young people, and concerns over public transport. The officers of HCYC are keen to encourage young people to play a more active role in decision-making processes. A working group is planning to promote and publicise the work of the HCYC, and the UK Youth Parliament, more fully than in past years.

4. Joint Services to Youth Best Value Review Team

4.1 The Best Value review has produced a draft options report. Consultations on an initial draft took place in January and February, with Challenge workshops being held in January and March. The review is recommending that the County Council produces a Youth Strategy to ensure the services it offers to young people respond to the needs of young people, are well co-ordinated, and enable services to work more closely together. A final report will be presented to the Best Value Review Panel in July.

4.2 Further work is being undertaken to compare statutory services offered to young people through Youth Services by Hampshire County Council Treasury Consultancy, in partnership with the National Youth Agency, for the Department for Education and Skills. It is hoped this initiative will produce robust data for effective comparison of statutory youth services.

5 Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) and Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 (SEND)

5.1 The Disability Discrimination Act 1995, as amended by the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001, comes into effect from 1 September 2002. After this date it will be unlawful for a Local Authority Youth Service to discriminate against or treat disabled people taking part in Youth Service activities less favourably than other Young people. This has major implications for the Youth Service, particularly in terms of access to the buildings used for youth work activities, a number of which are the responsibility of the Youth Service.

5.2 In order to assist responsible bodies to meet the new duties, the Government has made additional funding available to Youth Services (£7 million in 2002/03 and £8 million in 2003/04). The money is allocated to Statutory Youth Services on the basis of the number of young people 13 - 19 years. Nationally, Hampshire is the third largest authority and has been allocated a total of £172,500 for 2002/03 of which £135,500 is for capital improvements and £37,000 for revenue.

5.3 An action plan has been submitted (attached at Appendix 1) detailing the current position in relation to building accessibility and priorities for building improvement and revenue expenditure. Currently, confirmation is awaited that the action plan has been accepted by the DfES.

6. Recommendations

(1) That the current developments in the Youth Service be welcomed and noted.

(2) That the contribution of the Hampshire County Youth Service to Connexions is noted and recognised.

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.

Working Together - Connexions and the Statutory Youth Service April 2002

Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) and Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 (SEND)