Positive for Youth: Delivering A New Vision for Youth Services Locally (Manchester)

Please note we are also running this event in London on 18th April, for details please click here.

The Context:

After an extensive consultation with key players and young people, “Positive for Youth” sets out the government’s vision for the development of the youth service in England in the coming years. At the heart of this document is a call on local authorities to give young people a voice in local decision making. Revised statutory guidance will be published setting out local authorities’ duty to secure activities and services for young people.

Confirmed Speakers Include:

• Peter Mucklow, Director, Supporting Children & Young People Group, Dept For Education
• Jason Stacey, Head of Policy, Media and Research, YMCA England
• Fiona Blacke, Chief Executive, The National Youth Agency
• Cllr David Bellotti, Deputy Chair, Children & Young People Board Programme, LGA
• Paul Boskett MBE,Youth Democracy Manager, British Youth Council
• Simon Baker, Development Manager, Wigan Youth Zone
• Jeremy Glover, Chief Executive, OnSide North West
• (Chair) Chris Waterman, Editor, Children's Services Weekly

The Issues:

Delegates at this Policy and Practice Westminster Briefing will examine the impact of the new policy and the implications for local authorities, partner organisations and young people. Key issues to be discussed include:

• The new vision for youth services
• The role of local authorities in commissioning youth services: revised statutory guidance
• Measuring local authority progress in delivering better & more targeted services
• The role for voluntary and community organisations and businesses
• How to secure diverse sources of income for youth services
• Delivering the services that young people need: giving young people a voice
• The role of the professional youth worker
• The implications for secondary schools and colleges in delivery of services
• Lessons to be learned from the youth innovation zones
• Supporting families: universal and targeted services
• The focus on evidence based early help for the most vulnerable
• The contribution of youth services to health and wellbeing
• Developing a more contestable market for publicly funded services
• Measuring success in youth services
• Expanding the National Citizen Service

Objectives and Outcomes:

The morning policy session will allow participants to engage with policy makers in discussion over the content and implications of the government’s vision for local delivery of youth services, as set out in “Positive for Youth”. The afternoon policy into practice session will be highly interactive with case study examples and group discussions focusing on the practical implications of delivery and examples of effective practice. For further details please see the attached agenda.

Who Should Attend:

Delegates will be drawn from across the children, youth services and education sector, including local government officers and members, youth workers, youth offending and ASB teams, the private, voluntary & community sectors, schools and colleges, the public health sector, central government departments & bodies, unions and academia.