Members are reminded that the Assistant Director for Neighbourhood and Customer Services presented a report to the meeting of this Committee on 12^th April 2016. This report outlined plans for establishing a new Youth Offer for the Bradford District in response to the recommendations made in the Youth Offer Review Report produced in November 2014.

The Strategic Director, Children’s Services will submit Document “AO” which reports on the progress made in relation to the establishment of the new Youth Offer in the District.

Recommended-

(1)     That the Work undertaken by the Youth Offer Working Group and the districts Youth Sector be welcomed.

(2)     That the Committee considers and comments on the shared direction of travel and of the continued commitment from the Youth Sector to work together, and to do things differently.

(3)     That the work already undertaken around Youth Voice be noted and the Committee commits to formalising Youth Voice arrangements in respect of Overview and Scrutiny work going forward.

(4)     That the achievements of the Youth Offer Working Group as outlined in the Action Plan be noted and a further update be submitted to the Committee in 12 months time.

                                                            (Heather Wilson – 01274 431781)

Members were reminded that the Assistant Director for Neighbourhood and Customer Services presented a report to the Committee on 12^th April 2016. This report outlined plans for establishing a new Youth Offer for the Bradford District in response to the recommendations made in the Youth Offer Review Report produced in November 2014.

The Strategic Director, Children’s Services submitted Document “AO” which reported on the progress made in relation to the establishment of the new Youth Offer in the District.

An update version of the Youth Offer for the Bradford West Ward was tabled at the meeting.  Members were informed that the Youth Offer for the district comprised of 5 key elements; information and advice, voice and influence, open access, targeted provision and active citizens and young people’s contribution towards community life (further details of the 5 key elements were detailed on pages 3 to 9 of Document “AO”).

It was reported that in strengthening the offer around information and advice a web based app would be rolled out across the district in April 2017.  Young people had worked with the Youth Service to shape the app and engagement would continue through the roll out of the app.

Members were informed that using the Youth Voice Framework the service had ran 15 district wide cross sector youth events which had influenced key plans around services for young people.

A DVD was shown to the Committee on the experiences of young people growing up North exploring the impact on where young people live and their aspirations and successes. The launch of the short film took place in December 2016 and was the start of the voice and influence by Bradford’s young people on the Northern Powerhouse developments.

Members felt the film was not as enthusiastic as it could have been.

It was reported that the Youth Service had maintained partnership working with voluntary sector provision that had enabled the continuation of provisions for LGBT (Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) young people.

A number of young people who attend the Phoenix transgender group attended the meeting and spoke about their positive experience and the valuable support they had received since attending the Phoenix Group.

In response to Members’ questions it was reported that young people found out about the Phoenix Group through various means such as through friends and different youth groups.

It was reported that information on the Phoenix Group and other groups would be available on the District’s Youth Offer App.

Members were informed that details on the Phoenix Group and the Sound Group was available/advertised at the Annual Bradford Pride festival.

A number of volunteers from Culture Fusion attended the meeting and spoke about their positive experiences and how they supported other young people through volunteering since being involved with the Youth Service and completing the Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

Members commended the work being undertaken by Youth Workers and the young people and the contribution that both were making to Bradford.

In response to a Member’s question in getting local people involved in youth work it was reported that the youth sector was always looking to work with young people, young people were offered to undertake a qualification in youth work; the service recruited adults and youth volunteers; needed different types of people into the workforce such as transgender youth workers; youth service was proactively looking at building the workforce and keeping it sustained.

Members commended the Youth Service in working with various partners to offer a universal Youth Offer.  It was reported that the evidence from young people showed the effectiveness of youth workers.

In response to a Member’s question in relation to what was being undertaken to build further working partnerships it was reported that the Youth Offer Working Group comprised of people from key organisations that looked at whether the service was going in the right direction and had shaped the Youth Offer; there was still more work to be undertaken in building alliances; there was a requirement to bring in extra funding that was sustainable.

Resolved-

(1)  That the Committee thanks the young people for attending the meeting and welcomes their informative contributions to the meeting and the District.

(2)  That the Committee emphasises the importance of young peoples voices being heard and their input into the shared direction of travel, and welcomes the continued commitment from the Youth Sector to work together and to do things differently.

3)    That the work already undertaken around Youth Voice be noted and the Committee commits to formalising Youth Voice arrangements in respect of Overview and Scrutiny work going forward.

(3)  That the achievements of the Youth Offer Working Group as outlined in the Action Plan be noted and a further update be submitted to the Committee in 12 months time.

Action:           Strategic Director, Children’s Services