Contact: Maria Allen, Senior Youth Worker, Tel: 02392 502465, email: [email protected]

1. Report Summary

1.1 The aim of this report is to provide information on the youth work in the Gosport district managed by Hampshire County Youth Service.

1.2 Information is provided on the key youth work issues, current work and planned developments.

1.3 A list of current Hampshire County Youth Service projects in the Gosport district is attached. See Appendix 1

1.4 Youth work in the Gosport district supports the corporate strategic aims of Hampshire County Council and supports the Cabinet priority for youth.

2. Context

2.1 The Gosport district corresponds to the Gosport Borough Council boundary. The district has a population of 76,415, with a youth population of 10-14 years 5080 and 15-19 years 5124.

2.2 Gosport is a densely populated urban area, which has significant Naval connections, and until recent years the Ministry of Defence owned much of the housing and land. Along with general trends, much of the housing has now transferred to private and housing association ownership. The Rowner estate has received attention from the media, and from local agencies in recent years, due to high social deprivation factors.

2.3 There are four key issues affecting young people across the Gosport district:

1. Youth crime, particularly in relation to criminal damage and anti-social behaviour.

2. Drug and alcohol misuse

3. Exclusions from Schools

4. Teenage Pregnancy

2.4 The Youth Service are key partners working alongside a variety of statutory and voluntary services working to address these highlighted issues.

3. Curriculum

3.1 Social Inclusion

3.1.1 County Youth Service staff in Gosport district manage several successful social inclusion programmes.

3.1.4 TeenZone - This project was originally funded following a successful bid to The Learning and Skills Council (LSC). Based in Rowner, the project offers young people in year 11 at risk of exclusion from all of the three secondary schools in the area, the opportunity to continue their studies and gain accreditation for participation in informal learning programmes. A second strand of the project has been developed through funding from the Single Regeneration Budget (SRB). A programme of `bite sized' opportunities, leading to accredited awards, is offered to local young people aged 15 to 25, who have disengaged from more formal learning provision. Involvement in TeenZone has raised participants self esteem, self confidence and employment prospects.

3.1.3 Social Inclusion work in Schools

The inclusion project is currently involved in delivering high quality youth wok in partnership with the following schools:

· Brune Park Secondary School - Trailblazers Environmental Project and group work with year 9 pupils, referred by the School.

· Bridgemary Secondary School - Year 9 and year 10 group work with pupils identified by the school as being at risk of exclusion.

3.2.4 County Youth Service staff in the district also work in partnership with Education Department colleagues from the Education Other Than At School service (EOTAS). This work includes the provision of mentors for pupils at Quayside Education Centre and for individuals identified by EOTAS within the area.

3.1.5 The Youth Service has completed a joint initiative with The Award Project (Duke of Edinburgh/Youth Offending Team initiative) offering referred young people the opportunity to experience a course designed to look at issues related to driving safety and car ownership.

3.1.6 Specific funding to address crime and disorder work including:

a. Drug Action Team (DAT) funded drugs education work through the detached youth project.

b. Hot Spot - a pilot project working alongside Hampshire Fire and Rescue on fire-setting and other related issues with young people.

c. On Two Wheels - focussing on responsibilities, safety, and ownership of mopeds and motorbikes.

d. Youth Inclusion Support Panel (YISP) initiative - due to begin in October, providing a specific group work opportunity for young people who are at risk of offending in the Community funded by The Children's Fund.

3.1.7 Special Needs Provision

There is a successful special needs project operating from the Bridgemary youth wing. An exciting programme has been developed with young people and includes a two week summer programme for 14-21 year olds, plus an annual residential experience.

3.2 Democracy and decision making

3.2.1 Gosport Youth Council has an active membership who represent the district at the Hampshire County Youth Council. Monthly meetings take place at the Town Hall, with active support from the Borough Council including funding, accommodation, and consultation on strategic development initiatives.

3.2.2 The district supports an Annual Youth Conference. This exciting event enables young people from Gosport to focus on issues which are important to them. Local Councillors and other key decision makers are invited to this event.

3.2 Personal and social skills

3.2.1 Open access youth centre programmes in Focus (Lee on Solent), Bridgemary Youth Centre and Brune Park Youth Centre, and the street-based youth work project, offer young people a range of opportunities that enable them to interact positively with each other, with local adults and other community organisations.

3.2.2 A Duke of Edinburgh Open Award Centre operates from Bridgemary Youth Centre. This year, several young people attending the project have gained bronze and silver level awards

3.2.3 A new project developed this year in co-operation with a Connexions Personal Adviser and funded by the New Opportunities Fund (NOF) programme, has enabled several young people leaving school this year, to take part in a structured programme linked to future employment and further education opportunities.

3.2.4 There are 3 specific 10-13's programmes within the district. These operate after school hours and have been funded by NOF and The Children's Fund. The focus of this work has been to raise the self esteem of the young people and to develop their personal and social skills.

3.3 New opportunities and challenging experiences

3.3.1 The district offers a summer activities programme for the first three weeks of the summer holidays. This programme provides a range of new opportunities and challenging experiences which is planned in conjunction with young people. Some of the activities offered this summer included: canoeing; chill and chat day; New Forest mini expedition; visit to Tower Park and beach barbecue.

3.3.2 Residential opportunities undertaken over the past eight months included an international residential to the Centre of European Culture in France (funded by the Single Regeneration Board (SRB) Programme and managed by Gosport District). Young people from Gosport, Fareham and Havant Youth Councils participated in a seven day residential event exploring youth work and the involvement of young people in democracy in France. Another successful residential was entitled `I will survive.' This challenging experience included a two day backwoods experience in North Hampshire. Other residential experiences were based at Bowles Activity Centre in Kent, Argoed Llywd Activities Centre in Wales, the 3D Activities Centre in Dorset and the Privett Place Centre near Petersfield.

3.3.3 Several members from Brune Park Youth Centre took part in the Rowner Carnival and Gosport 800 celebrations in July 2004.

3.3.4 In partnership with Music Fusion, DJ workshops have been offered in youth clubs and venues across the District. A week's worth of taster days were offered on the first week of the school summer holidays.

3.4 Healthy Lifestyles

3.4.1 The youth service team in the district is actively involved with the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy, working closely with the specialist teenage pregnancy personal adviser and the `Cool to be healthy' nurse. A young parents' group is currently in the planning stages, with links to the Sure Start initiative being explored.

3.4.2 Youth workers have delivered drugs education, sexual health and personal safety programmes throughout the year, in all three youth centres in the district. Similar programmes have also been delivered through detached youth work and on social inclusion programmes.

3.5 During the recent internal inspections carried out, Gosport received positive comments on the style, delivery and outcomes achieved for the TeenZone (inclusion work), Gosport open Award Centre (Duke of Edinburgh Scheme) and Special Needs New Opportunity Fund (SNOF) 10-13's special needs project.

3.6 The Moving on Project, a youth counselling service for young people 14-25 years operates from I-stop, Gosport. This report is funded by the youth service and receives referrals from a number of sources including Connexions, youth workers, schools and colleges.

4. Partnerships

4.1. Over the past eighteen months, the district has actively sought to develop and consolidate local networks. Key partnerships have included: work with Gosport Borough Council, influencing local policies and consulting on the strategic development; developing positive responses and consultation processes with the Police; supporting the Connexions service; creating opportunities for work alongside the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), the Gosport Development Trust and Naval Family Services.

4.2. The Senior Youth Worker chairs the Gosport Youth Concern initiative. This group consist of members of voluntary and statutory organisations who work with young people in the district. The aims of this group is to share information, develop practice and partnership working.

4.3 Members of the Gosport district youth work team attend a variety of forums, which include: the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy Implementation Group; the Community Safety Partnership; the Local Strategic Plan Steering Group, the Racial Harassment Forum; the Gosport Regeneration Agencies Forum; the Alive and Kicking Management Group; the SRB Management Board; the Duke of Edinburgh Local Award Committee; the Gosport Road Safety Group and the Solent Active Youth Programme.

4.4 Strong links have been developed with the Connexions Service. The district office operates from the I-stop building, which is a direct delivery venue for Connexions work. This enables staff from both Organisations to liaise and share information on a regular basis. Partnership project work includes; the 4U, provision for lesbian, gay and bisexual young people and the South Central activities for young people year 11 project.

5. Buildings

5.1 Hampshire County Youth Service is directly responsible for Focus Youth Centre and Brune Park Youth wing. The Focus Youth Centre is a post-war building, based at Lee on Solent Junior School with a current life expectancy of 10-15 years. Bridgemary Youth Centre and Magennis Hall (venue for TeenZone) are the responsibility of Bridgemary School and Portsmouth Housing Association respectively. Negotiations are taking place with Siskin School, County Estates and the SRB6 Management Board to build a purpose built youth facility within Rowner, on the Siskin Junior School site and support the extended school concept. This is an exciting development which will benefit the young people on the Rowner Estate and will be achieved if the match funding of £150,000 can be obtained.

6. Staff development

6.1 The retention and progression of staff has been a key challenge within the district team. A culture of learning has been established in the team and retention has improved, due, in part at least, to the number of part-time and full-time staff undertaking developmental studies.

6.2 One member of staff completed a degree in youth work this year. One member of staff has just completed the first year of a degree course and two members of staff will be commencing degree course studies in September 2004.

6.3 Five members of staff will have completed the local qualification in youth work this summer National Vocational Qualification level 2 (NVQ2).

6.4 Four new members of staff have completed the foundation course (NVQ1) and two part-time workers are participating in the induction programme.

6.5 There are eight volunteers working in the district at various projects and programmes.

7. Youth Service Resources

7.1 The Youth service formula funded allocation to the district in 2004/2005 is £233,733. The deployable budget (net of full time youth worker salaries) is £139,200.

7.2 Breakdown of external funding secured for 2004/2005 to date is:

Gosport Crime and Disorder partnership	£	5500
YISP Children's Fund	£	8456
Education Business Partnership (TeenZone year 11)	£	11500
Support for Youth Council worker Gosport Borough Council (GBC)	£	4500
TeenZone Opportunities Project (SRB)	£	24500
Gosport Voluntary Action (Rent)	£	1000
EOTAS (Social inclusion post)	£	8500
Income from Schools for Social inclusion work	£	7710
GBC contribution to 10-13's work	£	1500
GBC contribution to Teenscheme	£	800
Youth work charge to Naval Family Services	£	500
Income from young people	£	1200
TOTAL	£	75666
SRB ring-fenced for capital Youth project	£	150000

8. Recommendation

8.1 That the current development of youth work in Gosport District be welcomed and applauded.

Section 110D - local Government Act 1972 - Background papers

1. 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.

NB The list excludes:

1. Published works

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