Young People’s Services – Headline Feedback from Engagement Process in 2012

  1. Introduction

Devon County Council is considering the future direction of young people’s services within the county and has embarked upon the following engagement process with stakeholders:

  • DCC in-house Young People’s Services staff engagement event (Youth Service, Youth Offending Service, Y-SMART)
  • Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) sector provider engagement event
  • Three young persons’engagement events in both DCC and VCS youth centres in different parts of Devon
  • Survey questionnaires and focus groups with young people from ‘targeted’ groups: Youth Inclusion & Support Programme (YISP), Y-SMART (substance misuse service),Youth Offending Team, Housing Projects, DPLS (Devon Personalised Learning Service), and Youth Support projects
  • Survey questionnaires sent to a number of schools.

Similar questions were discussed at the DCC staff event and the voluntary sector event:

  • What do DCC need to do differently?
  • What different things do DCC need to do?
  • What can DCC stop doing?
  • What can the VCS sector do and what should DCC Youth Service do?

The following questions were put to young people:

  • What sorts of things do you do in your free time?
  • What would you like to be able to do in your free time?
  • What youth services, activities and facilities do you use?
  • Why do you use them?
  • What would you like youth services, facilities and activities to do for you?
  • What should these services, facilities and activities be doing differently to meet the needs of you and your friends?
  1. Feedback from DCC staff and VCS events

The two adult eventsidentified the following priority issues:

  • The need to share resources across the county and within localities, including between agencies, such as buildings, transport (minibuses) and other physical resources.
  • Partnership working, both within statutory services and with the voluntary sector, was an area for improvement. Locality networking meetings were felt to be a particularly useful way of enabling staff to understand and recognise potential services for clients in local areas.
  • There needs to be consultation with young people about any proposals, with effective feedback, taking care to avoid tokenism.
  • Multi-agency training is required toshare best practice across DCC and the third sector, with free provision for the third sector if possible.
  • Shared data-bases and websites between sectors would make best use of resources.
  • Increased sharing of information and joint working with young people was seen as a positive direction of travel.
  • Concern was expressed at the privatisation of young people services, i.e. to Babcock and Virgin Health.
  1. Feedback from Voluntary & CommunitySector (VCS) event

The range of different voluntary sector organisations was highlighted at the event. Organisations present covered large county organisations such as Young Devon, national organisations such as the YMCA and the Scouting movement, and very local providers – including those with a small number of unpaid volunteers.

The perspectives expressed therefore varied considerably, but the following headline statements emerged from facilitated discussion of the questions above:

  • There was clear frustration from some attendees that the commissioning of services by a local authority which is also a provider was not considered to be transparent or fair.
  • Some attendees called for greater evidence from a needs assessment to determine what services should be commissioned, withcontracts awarded for longer periods with clear outcomes required but less prescription on how the outcomes are achieved.
  • Funding opportunities should always be disseminated to all interested parties at the same time..
  • Smaller organisations wanted a return to some grant funding of smaller amounts and there was a call for the return of BHLP (Budget Holding Lead Professional) and Youth Opportunities Fund.
  • DCC should support external funding applications wherever possible, including practical help in de-jargonised plain English with reasonable timescales for application processes.
  • Communication overall was seen as a priority between DCC and the voluntary sector, including the opportunity for local networking meetings between services.
  • Diversity and equality concerns were raised by a number of attendees in particular the needs of young people in rural areas and the role of the third sector. Some attendees challenged the appropriateness of some services for diverse communities.
  • There was much discussion around which services should offer what provision, but with no agreement on this. Some organisations considered that DCC Youth Service should provide targeted provision and that voluntary sector should provide more generic provision. Other organisations considered the total opposite ie voluntary sector should provide the targeted provision and DYS should undertake generic provision.
  • Sharing of facilities and resources were highlighted as a way in which costs could be shared and better provision offered, including use of DCC human resources and payroll expertise.
  1. Feedback from DCC Young People’s Services Staff event (Youth Service/YOS/Y-Smart)
  • The need for better communication and partnership working, some workers from different agencies in the same location were not aware of each others’ existence or the services that could be provided. The need to understand better the locality provision was made clear.
  • This was expanded to include better networking throughout the County such as sharing websites and databases.
  • The specialist services should not be reduced and other services such as speech, language and communication provision should be increased.
  • Equal access of provision was required across the county.
  • Funding cuts which meant curtailing services provision was considered frustrating, especially when the services were seen as essential.
  1. Feedback from Youth Centre events

Three events took place at three youth centres (both DCC and VCS Youth Centres) in different parts of the county, with around 50 young people at each event. Young people were given a range of questions to discuss in groups and key points were then marked bythe young people.

The points scoring over 30, amalgamated from all 3 areas were:

  • Youth centres should be open more often and for longer – starting earlier, staying open later and at weekends and in holidays - 55 responses.
  • Youth workers staying in one place for longer (Buckfastleigh area only) 47 responses.
  • Disco lights (Buckfastleigh area only) - 36 responses.
  • Access for all to county transport for use with young people – working in partnership and other resources (Barnstaple only) 35 responses
  • Help with CVs/jobs, youth employment opportunities, careers support, work experience, business links for apprenticeships - 35 responses
  • Young people representing youth centres and meeting up with other youth centres - 35 responses.
  • Funding - 33 responses.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, as the events took place in youth centres, many of the comments related to youth centre activities. No differentiation appeared to be made between Devon Youth Service centres and voluntary sector (VCS)provision.

The activities that young people were currently involved in were wide-ranging and extensive. These were categorised into education, advice, socialising, youth club specific, music, community, technology, activities, sports, trips and miscellaneous.

  • Education/work/qualifications

More vocational qualifications were requested along with need for more jobs to be available and employability skills courses.

  • Advice

Only one request for more advice was mentioned

  • Youth club specific

More activities, more facilities, free food and drink, opening up of the centres to more people with longer opening hours

  • Music

Some interest in music was shown and suggestions that Battle of the Bands or more music education/music creation would be good.

  • Community

Fundraising appears to take place in some areas already. More community events were suggested. Included in this was a request for better recreational facilities including shelters and improved park facilities.

  • Technology

No additional requests were made but a range of technology was stated as already being used such as facebook, twitter etc

  • Activities

A wide range of activities were included under the heading of what is already happening. Many other activities (some the same) were requested – these ranged from bingo to learning a language.

  • Sports

A wide range of sports activities was already happening. Other activities requested included deep sea diving, girls rugby and motor sports

  • Trips

More trips were requested – ranging from overseas expeditions to more outdoor activities including rock climbing and trips to Crealy/Alton Towers.

  1. Feedback from Targeted focus groups

Although few focus groups took place with a facilitator many different areas completed the questionnaires with their clients. Questionnaires were received from the YOS, Y-Smart, Devon Personalised Learning Services, Housing Associations and TRAX (SAY WHAT THIS IS). It was apparent that few of these young people attended organised activities unless they took place on premises where they lived.

Much more information surrounded services that were used by the young people, and key feedback themes were:

  • It was clear that these young people were involved in a range of services within the County including housing, YSmart and the YOT. The vast majority stated that these services were useful and that they felt that they benefited from contact with them. Many would recommend these services to friends or relatives if they had problems. One commented that you got more help if you were in the criminal justice system.
  • Some commented that some services wouldn’t help people with substance misuse issues.
  • The only instance when youth centres were mentioned was when one young person stated that she was banned from using it
  • 26% of those who responded to the question in this group are or have been in care.
  • Of those who responded to the question 82% had had contact with YOT.
  • Additional services that they felt were needed included:

Support on the streets, places in the community where young people can get support/advice as in drop in around health/sexual health.

New skate park/refurbished skate park (as promised)

Better anger management services

More counselling/mental health support – CAMHS not enough (or not helpful)

More after school activities for older young people

More jobs advice

More jobs

Speech and language therapy

More schools for kids with special needs

Activities that are affordable

In one area appears that have a lot of facilities have closed down for young people (Bideford)

More 1 to 1 support

  1. Feedback from Questionnaires to schools

Responses have been received from two schools so far. The questionnaires asked the 6 open ended questions listed earlier. Amalgamated responses scoring over 20 from all responses were as follows:

In relation to what they currently do:

  • Young people use technology for a range of activities in their free time. This technology included PS3, facebook, twitter, Xbox etc. (94 responses)
  • Young people spend time with their friends (73 responses)
  • Many of the young people stated that they play sport (65 responses)
  • Many also watched TV (34) and went to town (22)

In relation to what they would like to do:

  • 50 would like to spend more time with friends
  • 36 would like to do more sport or use sports areas

When asked what services, facilities and activities they use:

  • 34 stated that they use sports areas
  • 20 stated that they use swimming pools
  • 70 stated that they didn’t use any facilities, services or activities

When asked why they use the current facilities:

  • 47 stated that they used them for fun and enjoyment
  • 23 used them for sporting activities

When asked what you would like young people services/activities to do you for you:

  • 52 responded that they didn’t know or there was nothing wanted
  • 23 stated that they would like more fun activities (some stated specifically in the evenings or weekends)
  • 15 stated that they would like a specific young people’s gym

When asked what should be done differently to meet needs:

  • 59 responded that they didn’t know or there was nothing wanted.

Young People’s Services Engagement Group

November 2012

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