Contact: Ria Emery, Senior Youth Worker, Tel: (023) 9226 2014

email: [email protected]

1 Report Summary

1.1 The purpose of this report is to provide information on the youth work in Havant district which is managed and supported by Hampshire County Youth Service. Information is provided on the key youth issues, current work and planned developments. A list of current Hampshire Youth Service Projects in the Havant district is attached as Appendix 1.

1.2 The Youth Work developed in Havant meets a number of corporate strategic aims. The work enables young people to make the most of their lives and contribute actively to their community, aim 1 and 4. Through effective use of resources and monitoring of outcomes youth service work in Havant is continually improving to meet young people's needs, aim 5.

2 Context

2.1 The Havant district is mainly an urban area with a population of 117,984 people (2003). It includes Hayling Island, Emsworth, West Leigh, Bedhampton, Denvilles and Leigh Park and the Western Wards including Waterlooville, Cowplain, Crookhorn, Stakes, Purbrook and Widely.

2.2 The 11-15 population of Havant is more than 8,000 and the 16-24 age group is just over 11,292. The 2002 population for the Youth Service's target age range of 13-19 years is 11,076. The youth population is forecast to decline slightly in future years.

2.3 There are eight local authority secondary schools in the area, two further education colleges and one of the secondary schools has a sixth form. Special needs education is provided in six special schools, some of which have young people attending from outside the borough.

2.4 Government deprivation statistics show the four wards Warren Park, Battins, Barncroft and Bondfield in Leigh Park are amongst the most deprived in England. Particular problems include unemployment, previously limited education opportunities, low income and ill health. Leigh Park was designated an Education Action Zone, and both Leigh Park and Wecock have been eligible for Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) funding through the Portsmouth and South East Hampshire SRB Partnership. The Children's Fund target areas also added Hayling East and Stakes to the list. Unfortunately most of these funding streams have now finished, leaving many projects unable to find further funding.

2.5 In relation to generic issues affecting young people across the borough, youth crime has been a major concern, this was highlighted in Havant Borough's Crime and Disorder Review. There is also evidence that a culture of alcohol and drug misuse exists amongst a significant number of young people in Havant. Exclusions from school are also a concern, often with a clear link between those who are excluded or who have difficulty in attending school and regular involvement in crime and substance misuse. Teenage pregnancy is another key factor, with some of the highest conception rates in Hampshire in the Leigh Park wards.

2.6 The Havant youth work team consists of a senior youth worker, six full time youth workers, 22 part time youth workers, four of whom work more than 20 hours per week, and five volunteers. A range of services are delivered, including building based work, detached and outreach work, information and advice and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award.

2.7 The county youth service in Havant works in partnership with a variety of voluntary organisations and key agencies, to ensure resources are used to maximum effect. These include the Hayling Island Youth Café (Hicafe), Leigh Park Community Centre, Off the Record a counselling and information service for young people, Acorn Community Centre, Education other than at School (EOTAS), Family And School Support Team (FASST), Youth Offending Team (YOT), Cool 2B Healthy.

3 Every Child Matters Outcomes

3.1 Being Healthy

3.1.1 The service encourages young people to lead healthy lifestyles by involving them in youth work programmes offered in varied settings and using a range of approaches. The following are some examples.

3.1.2 Joint working between Portsmouth Primary Care Trust, Teenage Pregnancy and the Youth Service has:

· enabled the weekly "739" sexual health drop-in to continue in the Stakes area following a 6 month pilot project.

· supported a sexual health drop in on Hayling Island called Confidential Health Information for Youth (CHIFY).

3.1.3 Drug alcohol and sexual health programmes are in all youth projects. Concentrated work has been developed with the Hampshire County Youth Service Drugs Development Worker across the district.

3.1.4 Healthy eating promotion also has a strong focus across all projects. Specific work has been delivered in Wecock working with health Promotion. A cooking project identified through, one of Priority Policing Areas (PPA) meetings, enables young people to work alongside youth workers and Community Police to learn how to cook healthy meals.

3.2 Staying Safe

3.2.1 All youth projects offer information, advice and support to ensure young people are safe. Staff will respond to specific issues raised both in groups and on an individual basis. The following are some examples.

3.2.2 In Emsworth safety issues were raised related to young people visiting a member of the community. The Emsworth Klub responded by developing work with young people around keeping safe, offering them information and advice to make informed choices.

3.2.3 Wecock Young Person's Resource Centre has delivered work with young people around self-assertiveness, saying no and personal safety issues.

3.2.4 The Hampshire Youth Service in Havant enables a worker to be a member of the Family and School Support Team (FASST). The youth worker deliveres both individual and group support to very vulnerable young people.

3.3 Enjoying and achieving

3.3.1 The service in Havant offers young people the opportunity to try out new and challenging activities and learn new skills in safe and fun environments. Some examples include.

3.3.2 Over a period of time a Music project has been developed at The Original Place. Many bands have been formed and practice here, not just young people from Leigh Park but from across the district. One band `Amethyst' recently entered a Battle of the Bands Competition held at Havant Arts Centre and are through to the final that will be held at the Wedgewood Rooms in Portsmouth.

3.3.3 Havant Youth Council and Wecock Young Parents Group are working towards a Youth Achievement Awards (YAA).

3.3.4 Emsworth Skate Park group worked together attending numerous meetings with Havant Borough Council, consulting with young people around design, site of the skate park. The original budget for this was £60,000, their work was costed at £95,000 and the Council has now approved this.

3.4 Making a positive contribution

3.4.1 Working closely with other agencies the district team have been successful in enabling young people from Havant to have a voice both within their local communities and on a wider basis. Some examples are:

3.4.2 A designated worker supports the Havant Youth Council, Hampshire County Youth Council and members of the UK Youth Parliament. Elections for the UK Youth Parliament to be held later this term will be supported.

3.4.3 Havant Youth Council have formed an anti-racist group called ROOTS. They have attended a training course and are planning a conference for other young people.

3.4.4 Young people from Wecock are involved in a community Arts project. Working with Havant Borough Council Arts Development Worker and youth workers the project is to design and paint a local subway. They will also produce images through computer work to be painted on to the walls at Wecock Young Person's Resource Centre.

3.5 Economic well being

3.5.1 Working with the Connexions Service enabled young people to have their employment, education and training needs supported during the transition from compulsory education. The process included a week residential experience on a narrow boat and career advice and support throughout the summer months.

3.5.2 Young parents groups across the district enable many of the young woman attending to return to either education, training or employment.

3.5.3 Wecock young men's project works closely with a group of unemployed young men, building their confidence and self-esteem to look again at their future either in training, or employment enabling them access to relevant agencies to provide additional support.

4 Partnerships

4.1 The district works closely with young people and a wide range of partner organisations to develop and deliver quality youth work opportunities to young people. These include the Connexions Service, Community Safety Partnership, Youth Offending Team, Drug and Alcohol Action Team, Hampshire Police and a number of voluntary youth organisations.

4.2 The senior youth worker previously chaired the Havant Youth Strategy Group, made up of a wide number of statutory and voluntary organisations and responsible for producing the youth strategy for Havant borough. The group has joined with the Children's Fund Local Implementation Group to form a 0-19 Strategy Group looking at work with all children and young people across the borough.

4.3 The Leigh Park area youth worker chairs the Havant interagency group, made up of voluntary and statutory sector workers. It offers opportunities to learn about new projects, share good practice and look at ways of maximising resources across Havant.

4.4 The service works closely with the local churches in Purbrook and Widley who partly fund the Havant district to deliver a detached youth work project.

5 Buildings

5.1 Within the district Hampshire County Youth Service is responsible for the Hayling Youth Project on the site of Hayling School, and with whom we have a management agreement. Other main delivery points involve either partnership or lease agreements and are;

· The Original Place in Leigh Park

· Wecock Young Persons Resource Centre

· Emsworth Klub at Southleigh Recreation and Community Hall (SYRCH)

· The Meeting Place in Waterlooville

6 Staff Development

6.1 Within the full-time staff team, five are nationally qualified; one completed his BA honours degree this summer. The other two full-time members of staff are in their second year of the Diploma in Youth and Community work at Southampton University.

6.2 In the part time team there are three nationally qualified workers, two workers are also in their second year at Southampton University. Four other members have completed National Vocational Qualification (NVQ2). One part-time worker has just begun her NVQ3 qualification with the Youth Service.

6.3 All members of the part-time staff have completed the Foundation Course (NVQ1).

6.4 Havant also has five volunteers working in various projects across the district.

7 Summary

7.1 This report provides an overview of the youth work supported by the Hampshire County Youth Service in the Havant district.

8 Impact assessment

8.1 Equalities best practices applied through all recruitment and staff development processes and in all youth work delivery points.

9 Financial Summary

9.1 The Youth Service formula funded allocation to the District in 2005/2006 is £297,421.

9.2 Breakdown of external funding for 2005/2006 is:

10 Crime prevention issues

10.1 High quality youth work reduces the likelihood of young people being involved in crime. Havant district has a core programme that actively encourages young people to take part in positive activities and avoid crime. This includes targeted work often delivered through detached and outreach work and specific projects identified through Community Safety Partnership, other local forums and young people themselves. These initiatives have proved to be very successful.

11 Views of the Local County Councillor

11.1 This report was circulated to the following County Councillors for consultation:

Cllr A Buckley

Cllr A Edwards

Cllr J West

Cllr D Gillett

Cllr T Gale

Cllr R McIntosh

Cllr I Beagley

12 Recommendations

12.1 That the current development of youth work in Havant District be welcomed.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background documents

The following documents discuss facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and have 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 information as defined in the Act.

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