Positive for Youth

1. Positive for Youth A new approach to cross-government policy for young people aged 13 to 19 www.education.gov.uk/positiveforyouth

2. Positive for Youth is a new approach to cross- government policy for young people aged 13-19 The first coalition government statement on young people A single vision across policies of at least 9 departments Supporting success not just preventing failure Puts young people in the driving seat to inform decisions, shape provision and inspect quality Supports parents, families and communities Promotes local leadership and greater partnership

3. It has been co-produced with young people and youth professionals through an innovative collaborative process Ministerial advisory groups Positive for Youth summit Extensive consultation Scrutiny before publication • Young people • Voluntary sector • LA sector • Business • March 2011 • 300 people • 8 Departments • Co-produced discussion notes • 20 discussion papers • Overarching narrative • 200 responses • Youth-led event • Cross sector workshop

4. It sets out a vision for a society that is positive for young people With their parents, carers and families With their community With additional early help when it is needed All young people will have Supportive relationships • To succeed in learning and work • To live safe and healthy lives • To be active in society Strong ambitions • In education • For personal and social development • To have their voice heard Good opportunities

5. The Government has set out extensive reforms to improve education and raise participation… Reforming schools to increase attainment at 16 Increasing freedom for schools, addressing poor behaviour and attendance, reviewing the curriculum, providing additional support to disadvantaged students through the Pupil Premium, increasing accountability including for careers advice Supporting young people to participate and achieve post-16 Committed to Raising the Participation Age to 17 in 2013 and 18 in 2015 so that all young people are engaged in education or training Increasing Apprenticeships and reforming vocational education through new 16-19 programmes of study Participation strategy: Building Engagement, Building Futures available at www.education.gov.uk/16to19/participation Youth Contract 160,000 subsidised jobs and 250,000 work experience places for unemployed 18-24 year olds New programme to support participation of the most disengaged 16-17 year olds

6. …as well as health reforms and many other policies to improve outcomes, particularly for disadvantaged and vulnerable young people Health and Wellbeing Boards LA responsibility for public health New public health outcomes framework Joint Strategic Needs Assessment Health and Wellbeing Strategy to inform commissioning Youth voice through local Healthwatch organisations Health reforms Other policies • Mental health strategy • Support for parents and families • Improving safeguarding • Extra support for children in care and renewed focus on adoption • Support for young carers • Reducing homelessness • Reducing violence, gangs, crime and ASB • Reforming the criminal justice system for young people

7. But the Positive for Youth vision is not just about the role of government – everyone has a role to play Young people Parents, carers and families Other adults The media Businesses Teachers Youth workers Other professionals Local authorities Other commissioners Government

8. And while education is key; young people’s experience outside education is also crucial Families have primary influence and responsibility for YP • Services must take them into account more • Government funds support to all parents; resources LAs to offer targeted support; and is funding new work with the most troubled families Communities also help YP form and pursue their ambitions • Young people benefit from positive role models and relationships with peers and adults they trust • Government is empowering communities through the Localism Act and reforming CRBs

9. Services for young people, including youth work, have a key role, particularly for the most disadvantaged young people supporting young people’s personal and social development – which includes developing important skills and qualities needed for life, learning, and work making sure all young people are able to participate and achieve in education or training raising young people’s aspirations and thereby reducing teenage pregnancy, substance misuse and crime

10. Key principles define a good local system for publicly funded services with a stronger focus on results A positive place for YP • with recognition and celebration of their achievements Support for families • while respecting and nurturing YP’s independence Community responsibility • to engage young people and sustain provision Integration • across commissioners, sectors, and professions Effective early help • for the most disadvantaged and vulnerable young people Open markets Innovative VCSOs • able to demonstrate impact and secure diverse income

11. LAs have an important strategic role Working with young people and other local partners to: Assess local needs Listen to the voice of young people Support families and communities to support their young people Consider where public funding is most needed Consider which providers are best placed to deliver publicly funded services, supporting growth in the voluntary sector Publicise the overall local offer of all available services Review and improve provision

12. Government is facilitating local reform… Clarifying LAs’ duty • Consultation in early 2012 on revised statutory guidance on Section 507B of Education and Inspections Act 2006 Empowering young people • £850,000 to the British Youth Council in 2011-2013 to enable young people to inspect and report on local services and ‘youth proof’ government policy Brokering business engagement • £320,000 to April 2013 to a consortium led by Business in the Community to improve business brokerage • £780,000 in 2011-13 to the Local Government Association – including for a small number of ‘youth innovation zones’ to test radical new system-wide approaches • Funding to Catalyst as strategic partner for voluntary sector Funding sector-led improvement

13. …alongside ongoing investment in a range of innovative projects Myplace • Government investment to complete 63 youth centres • Hubs for a wide range of services in disadvantaged areas • New national approach to exploiting their potential • A programme for 16 year olds from all backgrounds offering a demanding personal and social development experience and opportunity for social action in their communities • Expanding to offer 30,000 places to young people in 2012 and 90,000 in 2014 National Citizen Service VCS Grant Funding • £31.4m over the two years 2011-13 to 18 innovative voluntary organisations to pioneer and evaluate innovative approaches to early help for young people

14. What this means for young people A stronger voice • Greater recognition of their right to have their voice heard • A mandate to influence local decisions • Representatives at national level advising Government • Better schools, higher standards, support to participate in learning and work • A vision for reform to help local areas improve their out-of-school services, including youth work Early help to succeed New opportunities • Myplace youth centres as hubs for a wide range of activities • National Citizen Service for 16 year olds as opportunity forpersonal and social development and social action A more positive place in society • Challenge to young people to play their part • Challenge to society to recognise young people’s positive contribution and achievements

15. What this means for local authorities Services for young people support key outcomes • YP may need more help than family or community can provide • Personal and social development key to other outcomes, early intervention needed to prevent harm & support success New guidance to clarify expectations • Shift in emphasis from just positive activities to wide range of services that can improve wellbeing • Clear expectations on commissioning process • YP have a role in defining need, shaping provision, and auditing quality • Support to LAs to identify most suitable local arrangements • Local Healthwatch to give young people a voice in health Young people must have a voice Responsibility to improve • Sector-led support offer funded by Government • Youth innovation zones to disseminate learning from innovative areas

16. What this means for voluntary organisations Recognition of role in lives of YP • Many have expertise to engage young people, including the most vulnerable, and impact their life chances • Often work independent of public funding A stronger voice • DfE strategic partner, Catalyst, a consortium led by the National Council for Voluntary Youth Organisations • Youth Action Group of nine Ministers and key VCS CEOs More open public services • Right to bid to take over the running of local council services • Revised statutory guidance on service for young people to make clear expectation that LAs seek to grow role of VCSOs • Clarity on outcomes and standards of evidence • Brokering greater support from business, and improving access to social finance • Opportunities through Myplace and National Citizen Service Opportunities for innovation and growth

17. What this means for business • £1bn Youth Contract to engage 16-17s in education or training and 410,000 18-24s in subsidised jobs or work experience • Improving apprenticeships, work experience, and vocational education Government is tackling youth unemployment A responsibility to help YP play positive role in society • employers and employees can inspire and motivate young people to realise their potential • business can promote positive images of young people • Personal and social development key to success in education, employability and other outcomes – services such as youth work support this development • Benefits of long term partnership to employees and business Business case for supporting youth organisations Opportunities for engagement • Funding to consortium led by Business in the Community to broker more relationships with VCS youth projects • Opportunities through Myplace and National Citizen Service

18. What next? • A new national set of positive measures of young people’s outcomes • LAs free to define their own progress and success measures • Ongoing collaboration and scrutiny • New national youth scrutiny group and youth select committee • Youth Action Group • Ongoing debate and collaboration with stakeholders • Commitment to a ‘One year On’ audit of progress • Latest data, policy developments, good practice, programme impact

19. Further information and downloads are on the web at www.education.gov.uk/positiveforyouth • The full statement and an executive summary • What Positive for Youth means for • Young people • Local authorities • Voluntary and community organisations • Businesses • About the Positive for Youth collaboration • Summary of consultation responses and list or respondents • How young people have been involved