Issue - meetings

Note:  The cabinet report has been included with the agenda for background information only.

The commission received an update from Councillor Jasmine Ali, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education in respect of the refreshed plans for youth provision in Southwark.

Councillor Ali highlighted the follow key developments in respect of youth:

·  The establishment of a new Youth Parliament

·  New Sure Start for Teenagers

·  Relaunch of the Positive Futures Fund

·  The establishment of a new officer and Member group to oversee new developments in relation to Youth. 

Questions and discussion were held around the following areas:

·  The financial limit set around Youth Parliament deciding where the positive future fund goes.

·  The current percentage of young people benefiting from the current youth plan and estimated percentage of young people that will benefit under the new plan.

·  The future of youth clubs

·  Making the Southwark Youth offer more accessible

To agree the new vision and set of objectives for the youth service.

RESOLVED:

That the following be agreed:

1.  The new vision and set of objectives for the youth service as detailed in paragraphs 61 – 62 of the report. These aim to ensure that the voices of young people are at the heart of future decision-making, that young people are able to access the wealth of activities taking place across the borough, and that they can take part in new and exciting opportunities with a range of organisations created through our partnership work.

2.  The establishment of a new officer and member joint working group chaired by the deputy leader and cabinet member for children, young people and schools. The group will bring together officers from leisure and children’s services to oversee the establishment of a Sure Start for Teenagers.

3.  That officers should work with young people through a co-production approach to identify the need and opportunity for a new state of the art facility from which to deliver services and will bring proposals back to cabinet in 2021. A youth led review of facilities and public spaces on Brandon Estate is taking place in January 2021; the findings from this will support the implementation of this recommendation.

4.  The bringing together of the Youth and Play grants scheme with the Positive Future Fund, re-named ‘Positive Future for Young People Fund’, providing a fund of £600,000 in 2021-22 for activities for young people. 10% of this fund will be overseen directly by young people.

5.  That a youth parliament be established as the youth leadership forum to steer the future direction of the council’s youth offer consisting of a diverse and representative group of young people.

6.  That officers create a commissioning working group with young people including representatives from the current youth council, young advisers, youth offending service, young carers, youth club attendees and others to develop the specification for the new commissioning of activities programme. Officers will return to cabinet in March 2021 with the detailed commissioning plan.

7.  To the development of a digital information hub to provide comprehensive, up to date and accessible information about activities and services for young people and their families.

8.  The launch of the new “Positive Futures for young people” service in the spring 2021.

That  the following be noted:

9.  The details of the review, which included extensive and in depth engagement with colleagues from across the council, young people, parents/carers, and youth providers and has directly influenced and shaped the recommendations and action plan.

10.  The recommendations and detailed action plan arising from the youth review 2020 as detailed in paragraph 63 of the report, which will enable young people to experience vibrant and dynamic activities that will motivate and support them to have happy, healthy and positive futures.