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 32

Ymateb gan : Clwb Ieuenctid Rhisga

Response from : Risca Youth Club

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.

We have good access to youth work in Caerphilly. All the people in the club are white/British and none have a disability but we think there wouldn’t be a problem if anyone came.

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

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.

Youth work is only available Sept-May term time so we can’t access it all summer.

Clubs are open to early in the evening. Should be later so that we are not on the streets when it’s dark (close at 7.45!!).

Not enough facilities to relax and chill with friends.

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

Youth clubs need to be open more and not be shut all summer. Later in the evening.

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

Not enough funding for equipment and more specialised workers needed – i.e. mental health; sexual health; LGBT; etc.

We should have the opportunity to raise money for our clubs.

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

Allow clubs to raise funds and apply for grants.

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).

Some clubs are better than others, have better staff / facilities and this seems unfair. We should all have good staff and facilities – or be given transport to good clubs.

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?

Free WiFi in clubs.