Agenda item - Youth Review

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Agenda item

Youth Review

Report of the Executive Director Families Children & Learning (copy attached)

 

 

Decision:

RESOLVED: That the Committee –

 

(i)             Noted the findings and recommendations of the Youth Review.

 

(ii)            Agreed to young people (via Youth Wise) developing an action plan that will further the involvement of them in decision making processes and this to be bought back to Committee in November.

 

(iii)          Agreed that the findings and recommendations of the Youth Review will inform the Youth Service Grants recommissioning process and the proposed framework for this is bought to Committee in November.

 

(iv)          Agreed Brighton Youth Centre (BYC) to be recognised as one of the key youth providers in the City and for the Council to decide how to support with its refurbishment or rebuild by exploring all options.

 

(v)           Agreed that neighbourhood provision should remain and not be impacted on if any future investment towards a central youth hub is agreed.

 

Minutes:

24.1    The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director Families Children & Learning which provided information on the Youth Review, and the impact on the process due to Covid-19. The report was introduced by the Integrated Team for Families Manager.

 

24.2    Councillor Lloyd asked how more people could be encouraged to complete the survey and suggested that advertising on social media may help. He noted that the new restrictions stopped groups of more than six people meeting up, and asked if that meant that youth work would be put on hold and if it was how would they ensure that young people were supported. The Integrated Team for Families Manager accepted that the number completing the survey was low with around 1% of young people in the City responding, but said that the Council wanted this to grow and to continue to hear from young people in the future. Youth Workers were continuing to support young people through online platforms, as well as through initiatives such as Walk and Talk. Mental Health was an important area and the Council were working with the CCG to coordinate service to support young people.

 

24.3    Mr Muirhead, through the Chair, quoted the National News Agency which said: “Despite the recent change to social gathering restrictions as of 9 September 2020 we can confirm that as an essential service the youth service sector activity can continue unchanged where Covid secure to NYA guidance standards”.  The Integrated Team for Families Manager agreed that services would continue but they would still be limited.

 

24.4    Councillor Brown said that it had recently been agreed by a cross-party group that the Council were not currently in a position to go ahead with the Brighton Youth Centre (BYC) on-site proposals and that more time was needed to explore all the options before making a decision, and she  therefore proposed a small amendment to Recommendation 2.4. The amendment was to say that BYC was one of the key youth providers, as all the youth providers in the City were important, and to confirm that all options would be explored. The Chair noted that no amendment had been submitted prior to the meeting as required but agreed to allow it.

         

Councillor Brown proposed the following amendment to Recommendation 2.4:

 

2.4   That the Committee agrees Brighton Youth Centre (BYC) to be recognised as one of the a the key youth providers in the city and for the Council to decide how to support with its refurbishment or rebuild by exploring all options.

 

24.5    Councillor Simson seconded the proposed amendment

 

24.6    Councillor Allcock noted that there had been severe cuts to youth spending across the country and many youth centres had closed and youth service provision reduced. The Council’s 2020-2023 Corporate Plan agreed to deliver high quality youth services where possible and despite budget pressures the Council had provided funding of over £5 m to youth services. Giving young people a voice was important and welcomed Recommendation 2.2 to involve them in the decision-making process.

 

24.7    Councillor Hills referred to the action plan and asked how members could ensure that it was led by young people. The Integrated Team for Families Manager said that the young people wanted the opportunity to be involved in the decision making, and she would make sure that everyone who wanted to could.

 

24.8    Councillor Grimshaw noted that only 1% of young people in the City had responded to the survey and asked what percentage of the young people in the City attended the BYC. The Integrated Team for Families Manager said that she didn’t know what the percentage was but would find out.

 

24.9    Councillor Simson referred to the Youth Service Review and noted that there were some omissions and asked if the names of all the providers could be included. The Review stated that young people travelled across the City to attend the BYC and asked if there was data to show how far they travelled and why they chose to do that, as that information could assist neighbourhood services to know what facilities they could provide more locally. A report was due to come to the next meeting of this Committee in November, and asked if that would allow sufficient time to form a budget for next financial year or whether it would be necessary to roll over the funding which was in place now. The Integrated Team for Families Manager said that the names of all of the providers would be given and apologised for the omission, she agreed that it would be useful to know why young people travelled to go to BYC and that would asked in the future. With regard to where the young people lived, she referred to page 330 of the report which had a map showing the home location for young people accessing activities delivered inthe Central area of the city, and said that with regard to the financial side the Council were still waiting for information on the Youth Investment Fund and that would not be known until after the matter was considered by Committee in November.

 

24.10  Mr Muirhead said some young people with SEND did access mainstream services but there was a cohort of people with additional needs who weren’t accessing the services and felt that the recommendations in the report did not necessarily meet that gap, and asked if their needs could be met when recommissioning youth services. The Chair said the administration was keen to see the redevelopment of BYC as currently there was only one room which those with a physical disability could access, and that needed to be addressed.

         

24.11  The Committee voted on the amendment and it was agreed.

 

24.12  RESOLVED: That the Committee –

 

(i)             Noted the findings and recommendations of the Youth Review.

 

(ii)            Agreed to young people (via Youth Wise) developing an action plan that will further the involvement of them in decision making processes and this to be bought back to Committee in November.

 

(iii)          Agreed that the findings and recommendations of the Youth Review will inform the Youth Service Grants recommissioning process and the proposed framework for this is bought to Committee in November.

 

(iv)          Agreed Brighton Youth Centre (BYC) to be recognised as one of the key youth providers in the City and for the Council to decide how to support with its refurbishment or rebuild by exploring all options.

 

(v)           Agreed that neighbourhood provision should remain and not be impacted on if any future investment towards a central youth hub is agreed.

 

Supporting documents:

 


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