Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru | National Assembly for Wales

Y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg | Children, Young People and Education Committee

Ymchwiliad i Waith Ieuenctid | Inquiry into Youth Work

YW 05

Ymateb gan : Gwasanaeth Ymyriadau Ieuenctid De Powys (YIS)

Response from : South Powys Youth Intervention Service (YIS)

Question 1 - What are your views on young people’s access to youth work services, including, for example:

- levels of provision across Wales and any regional variation;

- issues relating to access for specific groups of young people e.g. language, disability, rurality, ethnicity.

There are currently a good amount of accessible youth clubs for the local towns, including smaller towns.  This is proving beneficial for young people who do not have the benefits of parents with time and transport, who I feel are often the young people that the youth clubs are set up and aiming to target.

The youth club I’ve had experience of attending with young people over the summer has had, brilliant activities, support workers and facilities for a variety of young people.  It has seemed open and available for all those that want to attend and accommodated to their needs whether that be physical disabilities or emotional needs.

Staff have been great to communicate and support my service and have been very accommodating to enable me to join in their activities to ensure I can support my clients.

If you believe that there are particular problems, how do you think they could be resolved?

It worries me that the smaller youth clubs will be closing within the area, as many young people that I know are being supported within my organisation benefit from this  As previously mentioned these are quiet often the sort of young people that have limited access to transport or support from parents/carers to travel to these sort of activities.

It’s easy to say keep all the youth clubs running but I am aware this is not financially achievable.

Could activities be arranged in the holidays, in different towns e.g. sporting activities, walks, etc that can then be accessed by those who can’t always make it to the youth club venue.  Or whether transport can be arranged to certain activities over school holidays, I know this wouldn’t be feasible weekly for youth club.  Schools could then advertise the activities before holidays, and local shops could have posters/ timetables of activities.

Question 2 - How effective do you think the Welsh Government strategy and policy on youth work is?

In considering this question you may wish to think about:

- the Welsh Government’s specific youth work policy and strategy such as ‘The Youth Work offer’; The Wales Charter for Youth Work; The National Youth Work Strategy for Wales 2014 to 2018;

- Welsh Government departmental responsibilities and whether there is a cross-departmental and co-ordinated approach to support youth work provision.

I am unfamiliar with this, as I am still fairly new to the position and getting my head around with the different policies affecting my role.

How do you think the Welsh Government could approach its youth work strategy and policy differently / to better effect?

See above.

Question 3 - What are your views on the funding available for youth work, including through Local Authority, Welsh Government, European Union, and Third Sector.

I think halving the funding for the youth service is quite harsh. It is such a beneficial service, and is having such a positive impact on young people and in turn their communities.  I don’t feel the same achievements will be able to happen with the cuts, and many young people in smaller communities are going to miss out.

If you believe there are problems in this area, how do you think they could be resolved?

More funding, somehow e.g. the use of school as youth clubs to reduce costs. Give workers some sort of benefit for working evenings, as an incentive to get more people interested in applying. This could lead to more volunteers. Could volunteers come from colleges, as part of some courses?

Question 4 – Are there any other issues you consider relevant to the Inquiry that you think the Committee should be made aware of?

(for example: workforce related issues; the Quality Mark for Youth Work in Wales; buildings and infrastructure; youth work in schools; transport issues; access to digital technology; Welsh Government’s consultation on proposals to register and inspect some out of school education settings).

I don’t think the possible jobs that will be offered within Powys are very appealing As working morning and then evenings is hard to fit around a family or another job, if needed for extra money. Is there any way of making these more desirable?

It is increasing my workload within schools, as the hours of youth workers are reduced within the school. Which again negatively impacts upon the young people, as YIS waiting lists are already very large, with many young people not being able to access a service until their issues have resolved themselves due.

What is going to happen to the buildings that were used by youth clubs? As many seem very usable and good quality buildings.

Question 5 - If you had to make one recommendation to the Welsh Government from all the points you have made, what would that recommendation be?

Keep as many small youth clubs open as possible.