Youth Connexions Hertfordshire Topic Group

Thursday 26th November 09

Premises Summary

Strategy

  • Developing Capital Strategy taken to Education Panel 15th April 09
  • Builds on the paper taken to the Hertfordshire Children’s Trust Partnership Core Executive in July 08
  • Continues theme of previous Youth Service property strategies
  • Direction of travel for at least last 5 years to reduce the property portfolio
  • Integrates delivery provision (OSSs and Youth Centres)
  • Acknowledges high repairs and maintenance expenditure due to lack of investment over many years
  • Develop (where feasible) one main district centre with satellite provision (hub and spoke)
  • Work with others parts of HCC and DCTP partners to share resources where possible
  • As resources allow and in parts of the district not provided for with a dedicated youth centre Youth Connexions will work in partnership to deliver project and detached work. The Service has a mobile provision which is deployed across the County.

Quality and Quantity

  • 30venues Youth Connexions (HCC) owns, manages or has responsibility for
  • A third of these are in a poor condition
  • The vast majority are in need of investment (“betterment” as opposed to just repairs and maintenance)
  • Additional 21 premises regularly used but YCH has no property liability

Current Provision

Main district centre in:

  • North Herts (Bancroft)
  • Stevenage (Bowes Lyon Centre)
  • St Albans (Pioneer)
  • Dacorum (Will be My Place funded centre currently Grovehill and Bennetts End )
  • Hertsmere (Will be All Saints provision currently Elm Court)
  • Watford (Will be the redeveloped Lower High Street)
  • Welwyn Hatfield (Breaks Manor)
  • Three Rivers (South Oxhey)
  • Broxbourne (Waltham Cross)
  • East Herts (Northgate)

Main District Centres

  • Focal point for delivery of a diverse range of youth work / positive activities
  • Include an Information, Advice and Guidance facility (OSS)
  • Focus for the provision of the Friday and Saturday evening offer
  • Recognition some districts need a modified approach
  • Expectation that young people are supported to make use of these centres from other parts of the District

Funding

  • HCC through annual capital business bids

-Relocation of the Hatfield OSS to Breaks Manor YC

  • External such as My Place and the Co Location Fund

-Hemel Hempstead(Extreme Connexions)

-Watford (Lower High Street)

  • Youth Capital Fund

-All weather sports pitch at West Hyde

-New kitchen facilities at Grovehill (Hemel) Monks Walk (WGC) and Kings Langley

-ICT facilities at Elm Court (Potters Bar)

-Music equipment for weekend gigs (Pioneer in St Albans)

-Improvements to youth project space at FrancisCombeSchool (Watford)

-Stage and performance space at Bowes Lyon Centre (Stevenage)

-Youth Gym at Northgate Centre (East Herts)

-All weather sports pitch at Breaks Manor Youth Centre (Welwyn Hatfield)

-Music Studio at Waltham Cross Youth Centre (Broxbourne) and Meridian (North Herts)

Integration of Facilities

  • OSS already at BLC (Stevenage)
  • Work underway to relocated HOSS at Breaks Manor
  • Watford OSS will be relocated at Lower High Street
  • Borehamwood OSS to be included in the new All Saints Centre
  • Hemel OSS will go to the new My Place funded provision
  • Waltham Cross Connexions Centre to Cheshunt OSS
  • Bishops Stortford Connexions Centre to Northgate YC

Outdoor Education

The newly appointed Outdoor Education Team Manager is in the process of developing a business plan to share resources, increase usage and income.

  • HYMB in Cheshunt
  • HudnallPark near Hemel
  • Cuffley Camp near Potters Bar
  • Astonbury Wood (Stevenage)
  • Snowdonia Centre