The Panel to receive an update on the Youth Services Restructure.

John Miller – Head of Integrated Youth Services and Stuart Palmer - Assistant Director for Homes and Communities provided the panel with an update on the Youth Service Restructure.  The panel were informed that –

(a)           a review of youth services was initiated as part of the recent restructure in Home and Communities Department.  An opportunity was created in the management structure to bring together the youth service, youth justice and care leavers with the aim of improving the youth offer within the city;

(b)          they took into consideration the services already in place and how the service would encompass the principles of a co-operative council by working more closely with the voluntary and community sector;

(c)           there was a need to work with major stakeholders and schools to review the youth offer alongside the offer delivered by the council and how to identify vulnerable young people earlier;

(d)          it was identified that people did not understand what was being offered and were now working with Corporate Communications to improve how to communicate the offer to young people in the city;

(e)          the latest performance figures revealed that Plymouth were doing very well compared to other youth services across the country.  It showed that we were engaging very well with young people and they were able to access services.

In response to questions raised, it was reported that -

            (f)         there were currently 155 different projects happening across the city and were led by other organisations.  It was important to maximise those relationships as the youth offer goes beyond what PCC can provide;

(g)           they were unaware of the bureaucratic process that young carers had to undertake to become part of the young carers group and would investigate.  They were looking to spilt the group into two age groups because they were currently oversubscribed.  It was also raised that funding for young carers sat with social care and the offer was provided by the youth service;

(h)          it was helpful to receive feedback from councillors on information received from young people on their requirements e.g. somewhere quiet to do homework.  It was reported that libraries were keen to work with the youth service and were piloting work clubs supported by Jobcentre Plus;

(i)            Young Inspectors were a group of young people supported and trained to ensure quality services are provided for young people such as the Life Centre Project and Summer Mix Programme;

(j)            they employed apprentices to look at how young people preferred to be communicated with.  This led to a new Facebook page and Twitter feed and any comments posted would receive a response;

(k)           the Youth Service was part of the strategic partnership looking at aspirations, worklessness and raising participation for young people.  They offer a Summer Mix Programme to help young people develop their work related skills, giving them access to different working environments, experiences and to help improve self-confidence;

(l)            the Summer Mix programme was inclusive and this had greatly improved over the last 4 years and can evidence the improvement.  They continued to ensure that the programme was inclusive but there was always room for improvement;

(m)         the reports were not currently public apart from the youth survey which was public.  They were looking at ways to make documents more accessible as well as ensuring that the information was relevant and timely.  They were happy to share the information with the panel members;

(n)          panel members commented that Seymour House was recently used for the first time for young people to vote in the Youth Parliament Elections and whether alternative venues were sourced for young people to vote.  It was also reported that Marine Academy Plymouth did not get involved because of current building work at the school which meant there was no space for a ballot box.  They would investigate why Pembroke Street was not used as a polling station and ask the area based team to look into this;

(o)          panel members were invited to contact John Miller as their support was valued.  John extended the invitation for Members to be involved in the focus groups to sit side by side young people and look at how services can be improved.

Agreed that John Miller to report back to the panel in March and give response on the issues raised –

1.         investigate the bureaucratic process young carers undergo prior to joining the young carers group;

2.         that relevant share information with the panel and to review how information is made more accessible;

3.         explore the reasons why Marine Academy Plymouth were not involved in the recent Youth Parliament Elections and why Pembroke Street was not used as a polling station.