‘PRIORITIES FOR YOUTH’

CONSULTATIONKEY FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS FROM RESPONSES SUBMITTED TO DENI

Independent analysis carried out by Deena Haydon & Siobhán McAlister

May 2009

CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE’S CONSULTATION

RESPONSESSiobhán McAlister

SAMPLE OVERVIEW

679 questionnaires representing the views of 1728 children & young people.

Majority aged 11-18.

Individuals represented in sectors: statutory n=887, voluntary n=767.

INVOLVEMENT IN ORGANISED YOUTH ACTIVITIES

Organised youth activities – “any activity organised by either an adult or young person for young people”.

Dependent on age: 4-15: youth clubs, sports clubs, uniformed

groups; 16+: programme based projects, decision-

making roles, leadership roles.

Recommendation: greater efforts are needed to make participative structures more accessible to those under the age of 16.

THE VALUE OF YOUTH PROVISION Involvement in youth provision:

Primarily - social, activity & fun aspects of provision

Secondary - develop life & social skills, gain qualifications & have a voice (16+ years).

‘Marginalised groups’: important social outlet; provides feelings of inclusion.

Recommendation: Assessment and outcome indicators should reflect an understanding of the value of youth provision for catering to the personal and social development needs of children and young people.

IMPROVING INVOLVMENT & MEETING NEED

Recommendations:

Better advertising & more direct recruitment - encouragement & information needed.

Recruitment strategy - friendship groups. More ‘activities’; extended opening; age &

gender appropriate; transport provided (younger children, those with disabilities, those living in rural areas); needs led & young people centred.

IMPROVING INVOLVMENT & MEETING NEED

Retaining young people: Needs assessments Promote and preserve the identity of the

youth service as different to formal education.

Greater progression & more training opportunities for young leaders.

Greater efforts to include some ‘marginalised groups’, particularly children & young people with disabilities, experiences of care and the juvenile justice system.

AVAILABLE HELP, INFORMATION & SUPPORT

Main sources of help: through education; through families; through youth provision.

Youth workers provide an invaluable means of support for some ‘marginalised groups’

Recommendation: greater recognition of the support role youth workers provide. Need for more space and time to concentrate on the quality of provision (and relationships), rather than quantity of young people involved.

LISTENING TO CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE

50% feel (some) adults listen. Sometimes/no: no value placed on

children & young people’s views; ‘pretend listening’ (tokenistic - views are not taken on board)

Recommendations: ask, listen, act/report back; more opportunities for young people to be involved in decision-making at the community level; all youth groups etc. should be encouraged to have youth committees.

THE IMAGE OF CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE

83% feel adults view children & young people negatively; as ‘vandals’, ‘hoodies’, ‘ASBOs’, ‘always up to no good’ and/or inferior, unimportant.

‘Marginalised groups’ feel doubly discriminated against (e.g. because young and in care).

Recommendations: positive representations in the community & the media; more intergenerational work and adult support. Additional funding and more partnership work will be necessary for this.

MANAGERS’ AND YOUTH WORKERS’

CONSULTATION RESPONSES

Deena Haydon

SAMPLE OVERVIEW: MANAGERS AND YOUTH WORKERS Managers: 64 questionnaires (regional

bodies (9); district councils (5); uniformed groups (8); ELB area officers (10); voluntary/ community organisations (20); youth clubs/ centres (12)

Youth Workers: 135 questionnaires (detached projects (4); outdoor education/ sport (5); training, personal/ community development (19); uniformed groups (27); statutory sector youth services (39); voluntary sector youth services (41)

THE YOUTH SERVICE: AGE RANGE AND AGE-SPECIFIC PROGRAMMES

Age range 4-25: 29 agreed, 20 did not – too broad, should include 0-3s, should prioritise 11-18s

Age specific programmes:4-11: multi-agency, community-based play & family support11-14: preventive, responding to vulnerabilities of teenagers, in schools (but not necessarily accredited)14-16: issues-based to inform decision making, based on referrals (schools, other agencies, self) to meet individual needs

THE YOUTH SERVICE: AGE-SPECIFC PROGRAMMES

16-18: issue-based, focused on those leaving AEPs/ mainstream schools without a transition programme; known to social services; involved in risky/ anti-social behaviour; without a place in FE/ HE/ employment18+: signposting, developing leadership, improving employability, peer mentoring and volunteering with vulnerable young people, provision for those who are marginalised/ without qualifications or work experience

YOUTH SERVICE: FOCUS

Personal and social development of all Targeted services within universal provision –

inclusion for all may require targeting of marginalised groups and those not currently accessing services

Range of provision – direct work in schools, informal education in community-based activities, specialist projects/ programmes to meet needs of those not accessing, or excluded from, mainstream education and youth services

Challenging negative representations of young people, reinforcing commitment to personal and social development, participation, inclusion

YOUTH SERVICE: ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED THROUGH YOUTH WORK

Based on ranking of issues in list provided, issues prioritised by both managers and youth workers: Providing young people with skills and

knowledge that will assist them with training, education or employability

Giving young people an active involvement in decisions which affect them

Emotional well-being and promoting healthy lifestyles

Alcohol/ drug abuse Suicide and mental health

YOUTH SERVICE: ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED THROUGH YOUTH WORK

Decisions about the issues should be informed by young people, OFMDFM Strategy for Children and Young People, UNCRC, local area/ community planning

While the strategy might indicate a broad range of issues affecting contemporary children & young people in NI, youth workers should retain the flexibility to respond to local needs and priorities (based on consultation with young people and other stakeholders)

CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES FOR MANAGERS AND YOUTH WORKERS

Funding Staffing Involving young people Partnership working Training and personal/ professional

development (for paid staff and volunteers)

Cross-cutting issues, and perceived impacts of youth work, reflect the values in the current strategy; themes and priorities still relevant

ENSURING IMPLEMENTATION OF CURRENT STRATEGY THEMES Delivering effective and inclusive youth work

Focusing on personal and social development Providing positive activities in a safe environment Complementing formal education Delivering universal and targeted provision Promoting participation and inclusion Flexible range of provision – accessible and

available Based on assessed local need – identified by young

people, local partnerships, needs analysis/ research

Building on existing strategies, plans, processes Developing partnerships at regional and local

levels

ENSURING IMPLEMENTATION OF CURRENT STRATEGY THEMES

Participation Ensuring meaningful involvement of children

& young people – clear expectations, accessible information & support, creative & inclusive methods to involve all, recognising implications for agencies, hearing and acting on what is said, providing feedback

Facilitating participation in DE consultations, youth service development, youth work provision, local community planning, regional networks/ forums/ councils/ events, leadership training and volunteering, presentations to media/ politicians/ policy makers/ other young people/ adults working with young people

ENSURING IMPLEMENTATION OF CURRENT STRATEGY THEMES Funding and resources

Acknowledging difficulties – inadequate, short term, not responsive to urgent/emerging need, bureaucracy

Funding to – promote young people and their achievements/ the youth service/ youth work; compile and disseminate information to identify needs, inform local priorities, evaluate interventions, evidence impacts; develop & deliver appropriate services with realistic lead-in times; ensure availability of adequate equipment, resources, venues; involve young people; recruit & retain appropriately skilled staff (paid & volunteers), with on-going training and support

Effectively using existing resources – sharing facilities, using buildings when not being used, ‘hubs’

ENSURING IMPLEMENTATION OF CURRENT STRATEGY THEMES

Implementation of the strategy Clarifying roles and responsibilities for

delivery and review Developing action plans with clear outcomes,

outputs, time-bound targets, monitoring and review procedures, accountability

Outlining the infrastructure that will support implementation

Evaluating the implementation and impacts of the current strategy, to inform future plans

Clarifying the review process and factors influencing planned changes

ENSURING IMPLEMENTATION OF CURRENT STRATEGY THEMES

The youth service, youth work, and young people will be demonstrably valued, recognised and well-promoted through: Raising awareness about the strategy and

themes within it Providing the funding to enable the themes

to be implemented Identifying, acknowledging and consolidating

existing good practice Ensuring provision of appropriate training

and support (to paid staff and volunteers)