Merton Youth Partnership Youth Transformation threats and resilience

1. Merton Youth PartnershipYouth Transformationthreats and resilience

2. Threats.... The money • Council Youth Budget 2010 – 11 - 1.8 million [600k grants] – universal, targeted and commissioned. • Savings 2011 – 12 that impacted on wider youth services £330k + £100k Youth Capital + Summer Uni ended + connexions savings+ other grant funds stopping outside the council.... • Council Savings target for 2012 – 14 for youth work £200k This total savings 2011 – 14 31% - i.e. 1/3 less. The history • How strong is the national voice of youth work? • How “much” youth work must exist? • History of youth work cuts in Merton?

3. Resilience.... Well established youth partnership - MYP Strong commissioning model – young people led - ofsted example of good practise!! Quality assurance scheme - 2nd Cohort 4 year rise in participation across LA and commissioned youth sector Young people more positive – although always room for improvement! New web site for young people being promoted across schools – Young Merton – advertising what you do Loads of thriving youth projects.

4. So what’s the national picture? National Citizens Scheme - “blueprint” for future of youth services – local small providers supported by large national organisations. Big society bank New all age careers service, Wolf review - social mobility Government to consult on a youth paper in summer - focus on outcomes achieved not numbers seen; payment by results - such as public health outcomes and prevention of custody Youth Sector has been too reliant on govt grant it needs to be “more varied” and “more sustainable” – new partnerships are required. Transform youth services by “capital and intellectual resources pooled” Tim Loughton 2011

5. Transformation– the task Build on our success in partnership provision Build on our success in young people’s decision making Expand our commission process to include council provision. Build on effective links between open access and targeted work “targeted provision, but open to all”. What skills and aptitudes are we trying to develop –what are our outcomes? Accreditation that leads to employability; individual progress How do we? - open up all provision to challenge / create new potential partnership arrangements? Increase the role of young people. Increase the links between local provision and local stakeholders – building more community ownership, flexibility, bring in new funding address cohesion issues between young people and adults? but keeping flexible quality provision – linked to targeted agencies working to a common set of “behaviour / well being “outcomes”?

6. How will we do this? MYP Executive – as a project group Time scale – by Nov!! For the recommissioning; by April for savings... MYP - Youth Conference – FPM social enterprises; - MYP meetings

7. “There is no agreed model of how we provide” New Creative Partnerships

8. Needs analysis : areas and provision Needs analysis : areas and groups Design Principles: outputs and outcomes Decommission / recommission/ recontract prioritise areas of challenge Stakeholders: commissioners and providers Challenge process : Scoping the spec and funding monitoring Commission – decision making involving young people Community engagement: new youth partnerships and governance Role of young people

9. Today’s tasks Questions on transformation Needs Analysis Design Principles consultation. • Discussion Question & Task: • What are the outcomes we want to achieve and how can we measure and report on them? • What model of delivery can we employ to ensure we meet key youth work values, outcomes & outputs?

10. Design Principles • The Values, Outcomes and Outputs of Youth Work In Merton • What We Will Do (Values): • Merton Youth Partnership concerns itself with the provision of opportunities for young people which are underpinned by the following youth work values: • To provide out of school positive activities for young people so they can relax, meet friends and have fun • Building relationships of trust with groups and individual young people which provide opportunities for change and progress to happen • Support the development of leadership skills and qualities so that young people can take an active role in their communities • Building strong networks and partnerships in order to meet the needs of young people in their communities • To work with young people as partners in the provision of positive activities which will contribute to their learning and development • Encourages young people to be involved in decision making and taking responsibility

11. Target Group: The target age group will be young people aged 11-19 yrs, with an extension to those aged 11 in year 6 of primary school and young people aged up to 24 with learning disabilities. The service will be mainly aimed at London Borough of Merton Residents and their close friendship groups, as well as young people attending education, training or working in Merton. Most provision will be open access (universal) and open to any young person seeking to participate in Merton Youth Provision. However some services should be specialist so that those young people, who would find it hard to access general provision, are ensured that they have access to specialist provision. These would include young people with disabilities and young people from new and emergent ethnic minority communities in the Borough. Supporting organisations in their transition into integration and build community cohesion into their programme delivery .[r1]

12. Expected outputs and outcomes from youth work • Given the six values of youth work the expected quality of the youth work would be evidenced by outcomes and outputs for young people • These outcomes could include • Increase in confidence and self esteem • Evidence of opportunities to lead • Developing respectful social relationships with other young people • Deepening interest and skills in activities • Involvement in planning and decision making and taking responsibility • Improvement in engagement with school, college or training and other services • Better equipped for independence and adulthood • These outputs could include: • The percentage of young people making progress • Participation levels and profile data of young people • Frequency, times, reliability and location of opening of provision • Programme offer to attract and engage young people