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Contact: Ray Barnard, Youth Service Manager, Tel: 01962 846424, email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 This report summarises the achievements of Hampshire County Youth Service (HCYS) in 2003/04 by indicating the progress of the service in relation to the nationally set targets in the annual Youth Work Plan and the progress in implementing the Transforming Youth Work Development Plan.

1.2 The report also introduces the published annual report of the service entitled "Making a Difference" and briefly gives examples of good practice from the report.

1.3 Reference is also made to the four key performance measures local authority youth services have been asked to use by the Minister for Children, Young People and Families, from 2004/05.

1.4 The work of Hampshire County Youth Service highlighted in the annual report supports all the Corporate Strategy aims, as well as contributing to the Cabinet priority for Youth.

2. Measuring Performance

2.1 The 2003/04 HCYS Youth Work Plan included set targets and performance indicators for local authority youth services based on the document `Resourcing Excellent Youth Services' (REYS). HCYS undertook to assess the service's activity and performance against each of these targets. However, since the plan was written the Minister for Children, Young people and Families has highlighted four key areas for measuring the performance of local authority youth services and these are shown below:

2.1.1 The level of `reach' into the resident 13-19 population (against a benchmark of 25%).

2.1.2 The level of participation of the 13-19 population in youth work (against a benchmark of 15%)

2.1.3 The proportion of participants in youth work who gain recorded outcomes (against a benchmark of 60%)

2.1.4 The proportion of participants in youth work who gained accredited outcomes (against a benchmark of 30%).

2.2 Current indications are that the service does not meet all the nationally set targets but will be in a position to accurately record progress on meeting the targets from this year 2004/2005. HCYS current performance in relation to these figures will be published in the printed version of the county youth service Annual Report available at the Youth Panel meeting in June.

3. Youth Service Plan 2003/04

3.1 Appendix 1 of this report shows the targets set out in the Youth Work Plan for 2003/04 and gives an indication of progress during the year.

3.2 Good progress has been achieved against most targets. Particularly interesting developments relating to the targets include:

· An increase of 50% of young people participating in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award and an increase in the completion of silver and bronze awards of 23%. There was also a 5% increase in the number of units offering the Award

· The growth of accredited youth work, using various schemes including the Prince's Trust XL Awards and Youth Achievement Awards. Examples of accredited work ranged from music technology courses to voluntary work with people with special educational needs

· The work of Connexions personal advisers is making a real difference to the lives of young people by ensuring they receive the kind of individual support they require at the times they need it. Successes have included ensuring young people attend important appointments which have enabled them to enter training and employment. Improving the self esteem and self confidence of young people to the point where they feel able to face important issues in their lives

· The development of work with the 10-13 age range and supporting students in their transition to secondary schools

· Outreach work with young people living in travelling communities

· Innovative work shops at our youth centres promoting healthy life-styles in co-operation with health service staff. Examples include involving young people in making fruit and yoghurt based drinks and encouraging them to consume fewer fizzy drinks containing high levels of sugar

· New experiences which provide personal challenges and develop the social skills of young people. Intensive work in this area of the youth work curriculum is often undertaken during residential events. Successful examples include the visit by young people from Havant, Gosport and Fareham to a residential centre in France where they participated in a programme with local young people, and the excellent `Sugar and Spice' event at the Avon Tyrrel centre in the New Forest. Over a hundred young women participated in developmental workshops and activities (a similar experience for young men is at the planning stage). Feedback from young people indicated that these residentials were both enjoyable and provided `life changing' experiences.

4. Transforming Youth Work Implementation Plan

4.1 Appendix 2 of this report shows the targets set out in the Transforming Youth Work Implementation Plan for 2003/04 and gives an indication of progress made during the year.

4.2 Good progress has been achieved against most targets. Particularly interesting developments include:

· The closer working relationship between the voluntary and statutory sectors of the youth service, including regular meetings with the Chairman of Hampshire Council for Voluntary Youth Services.

· The growth of group work and mentoring schemes with young people at risk of exclusion from school.

· The increase in youth work which enables young people to participate in democratic decision making processes at local, county and national levels.

· The excellent training and development opportunities managed by our staff development and training team. The range on offer includes courses and workshops covering `Street Based' youth work, Tiers 1 and 2 Drugs Education, Mental Health Issues, Outdoor Education and whole host of other important aspects of youth work.

· A youth work foundation degree course has been set up at Southampton University in close co-operation with our staff development and training team.

5. `Making a difference' Hampshire County Youth Service Annual Report 2003/04

5.1 The printed version of this year's annual report called `making a difference' is due to be published in time to be distributed at the June meeting of the Youth Service Panel. The report highlights examples of good youth work practice from across the county.

5.2 `Making a difference' will also contain facts and figures about the service and refer to the progress made in relation to the Youth Work Plan and the Transforming Youth Work Implementation Plan. A table showing how HCYS currently fares in relation to the key areas of measuring the performance of local authority youth services will also be included. Another additional feature this year will be some outline case studies highlighting how individuals have benefited from being involved with youth service projects and activities.

5.3 Some examples of good practice included in `Making a Difference' are:

· `The Station Project' which offers support, advice and information for young people in East Hampshire

· `Intro Magazine' in Fareham, a project which has offered young people the opportunity to publish , with the support of youth workers and the Borough Council, a magazine containing articles on issues important to young people

· A photography project in Hart district resulting in young people exhibiting their photographs in a local arts centre

· Work with a school in Rushmoor aimed at improving attendance and attainment

· A residential for young people in Basingstoke which highlighted activity and employment opportunities available in rural areas

· A mobile project acting as a Connexions information point and offering advice to young people in rural parishes to the south of Winchester

· Work with young people with special educational needs in Test Valley leading to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award

· A new development led by Connexions personal advisers in Havant that has helped young people make the transition for secondary school to further education

· Participation by young people in making cases to local authorities for new facilities in the Eastleigh district

· Inter-agency work with young people aimed at developing facilities in a town in the New Forest and reducing complaints about young people using the streets as a meeting place

· The `Teen-zone' project in Gosport which used the skills of youth workers to successfully engaged young people not involved in other education and training opportunities, in a range of accredited learning experiences.

6. Recommendation

6.1 The progress of the Hampshire County Youth Service during the year 2003/04 is noted and the Annual Report is welcomed.

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

Transforming Youth Work - Resourcing Excellent Youth Services