The report of the Strategic Director, Place, (Document “A””) provides an update on changes to the Youth Service made in response to budget savings and staff re-structure and provides details of the budget for the Youth Service in 2017/18.

Recommended –

That the changes made to the Youth Service, as detailed in Document “A” and the budget for the service for 2017/18 be noted.

(Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee)

(Jonathan Hayes – 01535 618008)

That the changes made to the Youth Service, as detailed in Document “A” and the budget for the service for 2017/18 be noted.

ACTION: Strategic Director Place

(Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee)

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The report of the Strategic Director, Place, (Document “A””) provided an update on changes to the Youth Service made in response to budget savings and staff re-structure and provided details of the budget for the Youth Service in 2017/18.

It was explained that a further report would be presented in September 2017 to present specific details of the Youth Service activities and future plans in the Keighley Constituency and that Document “A” was a generic report on the service as a whole.

The report reminded Members that following Bradford Council’s budget decisions approved on 25 February 2016 the Youth Service had made savings of £750,000 over the two years 2016-18. In order to ensure that those savings could be realised, the Youth Service had undertaken a number of budget saving measures which had included discontinuing the support offered to Tier 1 NEET (Not in Education Employment or Training) young people which was transferred back to Children’s Services (£200,000) and included in their new commission for the whole of the NEET service.  The measures had also involved the closure of the two Information Shops for Young People in the District (at Culture Fusion and Keighley Town Hall). Two Information officers were transferred to Customer Services and were now based at Britannia House and Keighley Town Hall and a Young People’s Information and Advice ‘App’ had been developed.  Youth Workers in the Area teams would be given training on the use of the App and they would continue to support young people in being able to access appropriate Information, Advice and Guidance in the most relevant and helpful way for each young person.

The arrangements made, following consultation with Trade Unions, to avoid compulsory staff redundancies were outlined.  Members were advised that as part of a wider health service initiative called Youth In Mind, the Bradford District Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) were now commissioning the Youth Service (via Creative Support) to deliver ‘Buddy support’ to support young people who have been assessed by the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) to have mental health issues.  The Youth Service’s senior workers who were not successful in securing a permanent post had been retained on a 12-month fixed term contract due to the extra funding secured from the Buddy contract.  Details of that contract were provided in the report.

Members were introduced to four young people who were in attendance to advise Members of the impact and assistance their experiences with the Youth Service had provided.  All of those had been involved with work experience with the service including the ‘Buddy support’ and their placements had included:-

·         Presentations they had designed and delivered (Safer on Line) to encourage young people to think about internet safety. 

·         Sports coaching at schools and youth centres.

·         Duke of Edinburgh practice expeditions involving walking and camping.

·         Attendance at conferences and interviewing social workers about their roles.

·         Involvement with Keighley Big Local, a resident led local partnership which had been awarded £1m to develop a ten year  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7