The Strategic Director, Place will submit Document “F” which gives an

update on changes to the Youth Service made in response to budget savings

and staff re-structure and gives details of the budget for the Youth Service in

2017/18.

Recommended-

That the changes made to the Youth Service as detailed in Document “F” and the budget for the Service for 2017-18 be noted.

(Regeneration and Economy Overview and Scrutiny Committee)

                                                            (Jonathan Hayes – 01535 618008)

The Strategic Director, Place submitted Document “F” which gave an update on changes to the Youth Service made in response to budget savings and staff re-structure and gave details of the budget for the Youth Service in 2017/18.

It was reported that:

·                    Following the budget decisions approved on 25 February 2016 the Youth Service has had to make savings of £750,000 over the two years 2016/18.  In order to ensure that these savings could be realised, the Youth Service undertook a number of budget saving measures which 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.

·                    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’ was being 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.

·                    Following consultation with Trade Unions and staff Senior Youth Worker numbers had been reduced from 6.5 to 2.5.  Those 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.

·                    The Service anticipated having to make redundant full-time professionally qualified youth worker staff as part of the budget savings but due to voluntary redundancies and the successful award of a commission from the Bradford and Airedale Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) the Service had been able to complete the restructure with no compulsory redundancies to Youth Workers.

·         In line with the budget decisions staff had been allocated to each Area team according to youth population size rather than an equal number for each area.

Members commented on a number of issues which included:

·                    How easy was it for young people to contact Information Officers based at Britannia House and Keighley Town Hall as the offices were only opened about eight hours.

·                    It was more appropriate for Information Officers to be based in Culture Fusion as it was more accessible and inviting; concerned about Information Officers not being located in a suitable setting.

·                    Did not feel that a Young People’s Information and Advice App would help a young person not engaged in the service.

·                    When would the Young People’s Information and Advice App be launched?

·                    Some people would not be able to access the Advice App on their telephones; what were the Youth Service doing alongside for people who could not access the information App.

·                    It was not appropriate to be reliant on the App;  the App was not going to be the solution for everything and was not contributing to solving problems.

·                    Could not find the KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators) for the Youth Service and the vision statement.

·                    Would like to receive the results of the KPI’s for the first quarter.

·                    The KPI’s listed in the report mentions “support young people’s learning potential to help raise aspirations” which did not have a youth offer element and number next to it; how was raising attainment going to be measured?

·                    How do you ensure Youth Workers had a range of skills such as experience in dealing with mental health, child sexual exploitation, migrant workers etc?

·                    Concerned about the way the Buddy system was working – a Buddy system was supposed to be about support from someone who feels like them concept; concerned about the risk to thousands of young people not being diagnosed; primary mental health worked in schools.

·                    Would like to examine how the Buddy Support Scheme was working?

In response to Members’ questions it was reported that:

·                    Information Officers were not always based in Britannia House/City Hall but did sessions in other centres and were flexible.

·                    Discussions were taking place in having a Youth Club and an Information Officer at St Augustine’s.

·                    The information App would be launched in the summer.

·                    Youth Workers offered advice and guidance to young people; events were held on what Youth Services offered; Youth Service passed information on what other organisations offered to young people and directed them to those services.

·                    Young people were wanting an information App; acknowledged that there would be a co-hort of young people who did not have a telephone which they could access the App on.

·                    Briefing notes on the app could be circulated to Members.

·                    Range of experience required in youth work had not changed, issues such as CSE and new arrivals had always been there; Youth Workers may not have certain specialities but the relationship a young person had with a youth worker was important.

·                    As part of the wider health service initiative called Youth in Mind, the CCG’s were now commissioning the Youth Service to deliver “Buddy Support” to support young people who had been assessed by the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) to have mental health issues; Youth in Mind was part of the CCG’s strategy to broaden support for young people with mental health issues within non medical/specialist services.

·                    Youth workers had access to other agencies offering immigration and housing advice.

Resolved-

(1)       That the changes made to the Youth Service as detailed in Document “F” and the budget for the Service for 2017-18 be noted.

(2)       That Officers organise an event for the Area Committee to examine the Buddy Support Scheme.

(3)       That Officers circulate to Members of the Committee the Youth Service new Vision Statement and the results of the Key Performance Indicators for the first quarter.    

Action:           Strategic Director, Place

(Regeneration and Economy Overview and Scrutiny Committee)