Meeting documents
Youth and Play Service Advisory Committee
Thursday, 15th March 2007
Present
Chair
Cllr Sheila Clarke
Councillors
A Bridson, SA Brown, T Harney, Mrs CM Meaden, ED Prout, GCJ Watt
Youth Forum representative(s)
Tanya Carr
Council Officers
Steve Chan (Acting Head, Play), Lindsay Davidson (Deputy Head of Youth Service: Policy Development), Terry Hall (Wirral Youth Service), Ian McCabe (Youth Worker), Maureen McDaid (Head of Youth & Play Service)
Apologies
Hannah Hoyle, Jamie Johnson, Allan Mason-Whelan
Index to Minutes
- Minute 20 - APOLOGIES
- Minute 21 - MINUTES
- Minute 22 - HEAD OF SERVICE'S REPORT
- Minute 23 - SEACOMBE PUPPET THEATRE
- Minute 24 - PLAY STRATEGY UPDATE
- Minute 25 - YOUTH CHALLENGE COMPETITION FUND - "ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER"
- Minute 26 - POLICY OPTION: TO DEVELOP OUTREACH INITIATIVES
- Minute 27 - SENIOR YOUTH WORKER - WIRRAL ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR TEAM
- Minute 28 - AREA YOUTH FORUMS
- Minute 29 - NEXT MEETING
Minute 20 - APOLOGIES
Minute Text :
Apologies were received from youth forum representatives - Hannah Hoyle, Jamie Johnson and Allan Mason-Whelan.
Minute 21 - MINUTES
Minute Text :
The minutes of the previous meeting, held on 14 December 2006, were accepted as a correct record.
Minute 22 - HEAD OF SERVICE'S REPORT
Minute Text :
Maureen McDaid introduced her report, which presented an overview of the work undertaken by the Youth and Play Service during the period November 2006 to February 2007. In particular, she referred to the following matters:
(i) Community Safety now funded a Senior Youth Work post (see also minute 26 below) and the holder would also serve as a member of the Outreach team, helping to establish close working relationships to ensure a strategic approach and the best use of resources. The Outreach team was also developing its links with other agencies.
(ii) The pavilion in Coronation Park used by the Greasby Youth Club was almost ready for use following repairs.
(iii) New operating arrangements for the Pensby Youth Club.
(iv) A proposal via the Fender Youth Club to erect a memorial to a number of young people who had died in the past two years.
(v) Activities at the Moreton Youth Centre and the Leasowe Youth Club.
(vi) A football competition to mark World Aids Day, co-ordinated through the Viking Youth Club.
(vii) Work at Eastham Youth Club to achieve Health Promoting Youth Units status.
(viii) Revised accommodation arrangements for the Cavendish Youth Club and involvement in the Youth Theatre's Sound Steps Project.
(ix) The Youth Theatre's Peer Education Project, where the second cohort were undertaking their BTEC. That activity had been a key element in the achievement of Beacon status for positive youth engagement. Involvement with Meadowside and Foxfield Schools was continuing.
(x) Participation by looked-after in the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme, and the fact that WASP had been registered as an Award operating unit.
(xi) International work, including the longstanding youth exchange with Hong Kong and China, which involved a Chinese group of young people spending two weeks in Wirral in late July and Wirral's group visiting Hong Kong and China in the last two weeks in September. The Youth Service had over the years sponsored the Feng Xia Middle School in Qing Yuen in Southern China and had provided the money to build a number of dormitories and classrooms. An international worker was also involved with young people with learning difficulties.
(xii) The results of the UK Youth Parliament elections 2007, for which a total of almost 5000 votes had been cast. Sarah Fleming and Samandeep Kaur, both pupils at Prenton High School had been elected; also, three other pupils had been elected to serve as deputies.
(xiii) The Response service's links with Arrowe Park Children's Accident and Emergency Department were bearing fruit, and links were also being developed with the Adolescent Crisis Team.
(xiv) Training, including changes in arrangements, which would be the subject of further reports.
Councillor Harney commended both the quality and quantity of the work being undertaken by the Youth Service. He referred to the impending report by Wirral Partnership Homes on housing needs and asked that the committee receive it at the next meeting.
Councillor Meaden referred to the good work being undertaken by the youth advisers through the Tranmere Together initiative (others were operating in Woodchurch).
Minute Decision :
Resolved -
(1) That Maureen McDaid be thanked for her report.
(2) That the report on housing needs be considered at the next meeting.
(3) That Youth Advisers from Tranmere Together be invited to the next meeting.
Minute 23 - SEACOMBE PUPPET THEATRE
Minute Text :
The Reverend Liz Burn, Minister of the Seacombe United Reformed Church, introduced Sean Fanning, Youth Worker, and young people involved in the Seacombe Puppet Theatre - Lisa McArdle, Andy Taylor and Sarah Lynch. Their project had been launched with the benefit of a £4,000 grant from the Youth Opportunity Fund, and had come fourth in the Youth Challenge Competition (see minute 25 below). Although in its early stages the project was developing well and had already given a number of presentations locally. It had been particularly well received among younger children, where their interaction with the puppets helped to improve their communication skills.
The Committee was treated to a brief performance by the puppets.
Minute Decision :
Resolved - That the members of the Seacombe Puppet Theatre be thanked for their presentation.
Minute 24 - PLAY STRATEGY UPDATE
Minute Text :
Steve Chan advised the Committee on the development of the Wirral Play Strategy and progress with Wirral’s bid for its allocation of Children’s Play Lottery funding. In October 2006, Play Strategy seminars entitled ‘Developing a Play Policy and Strategy for Wirral’ had been held in different locations across the Wirral, attended by over 50 representatives from a cross-cutting section of statutory and voluntary agencies. That had enabled participants to explore the ethos and underpinning values of play, to identify barriers that might limit children’s access to play and to raise issues which determine the provision of play. A series of themes had been identified which had formed the basis of the Play Strategy Seminar Discussion Document, as well as providing the basis for the membership of the Wirral Play Partnership, which had already met three times. A sub-group was working towards the appointment of a play champion (for which a specification was submitted).
In February, a play value impact audit had been undertaken at fixed play spaces and surrounding areas to evaluate children’s use of outdoor play facilities and spaces. The areas audited were West Kirby/Newton, Eastham, Bidston & St.James/Claughton and New Brighton/Wallasey. A full report would be presented by the consultants, Play People, at the next Wirral Play Partnership meeting. The information would form the basis of the mapping exercise of existing provision including supervised/unsupervised, open access/structured, indoor/outdoor, local authority/voluntary/private play provision, and help toidentify any gaps in provision. In addition questionnaires were being distributed among young people, through schools, to ascertain their views. One issue already emerging was that of traffic affecting access to play areas.
Minute Decision :
Resolved -
(1) That Steve Chan be thanked for his report and the progress made so far be noted, particularly in the establishment of a very well supported Play Partnership.
(2) That this Committee receive the draft of the strategy as soon as possible.
Minute 25 - YOUTH CHALLENGE COMPETITION FUND - "ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER"
Minute Text :
Further to minute 16 (14 December), Maureen McDaid submitted a list of the various projects approved through the Youth Opportunity Fund (YOF) and the Youth Capital Fund (YCF). The DfES had allocated monies to each local authority in England to empower young people to improve the provision of places to go and things to do within their local communities. This initiative was part of the Youth Green Paper: Youth Matters.
In the previous year’s budget, the Chancellor had announced the creation of the Youth Challenge Competition Fund. This competition, now titled ‘actions speak louder…’, was aimed at promoting and celebrating innovative projects developed and funded through the YOF and YCF during 2006/07. To participate in ‘actions speak louder…’ each local authority had been asked to organise its own local competition and celebratory event, then enter one winning project into the national ‘actions speak louder…’ competition. Fifteen national winners would be announced at the national awards ceremony in London on 29 March 2007. Each of those national winners would receive prize money of up to £45,000 to expand, develop or copy that winning project within their local area.
In early January 2007 the Wirral grant panel had written to all 66 successful projects inviting them to enter the Wirral heat of the ‘actions speak louder…’ competition. Eleven projects had been entered. Young people from the grant panel met to judge the entries in February. The Wirral winning entry had been forwarded to the national competition, which would be judged by a representative national group of young people. The Wirral winner and runners up were announced at the ‘actions speak louder…’ celebration evening, which took place in Wallasey Town Hall on 6 March. All 66 successful projects had been invited to the celebration evening, and over 100 young people had attended, with some young people bringing display stands and others giving short presentations about their projects.
The Chair stated that the event had been very successful and commended in particular Tanya Carr and Jamie Johnson for their work in helping to organise it.
Ian McCabe, Youth Worker, introduced two young people - Luke Fennelly and Dave Chapman - who gave a presentation on their project for improving sports facilities for young people in Newton Park. The young people explained that they had been concerned about the lack of facilities in, and the general condition of, Newton Park - the basketball court had been badly designed, had rarely been used and was currently in a state of disrepair; what had been a football field had been fouled by dogs; and the young people had resorted to playing football on the bowling green. This had brought them into conflict with local residents and the bowling fraternity.
Through the Kontactabus and Ian McCabe, they had discussed their problems and been advised of the funding which was becoming available from the Youth Opportunities Fund and the Youth Capital Fund: during 2006/07 approximately £350,000 had been made available for youth schemes within Wirral. They had submitted an application for a new football pitch, basketball court and somewhere to sit and talk. Their application had been successful and they had been awarded £24,500. An architect working for the Parks and Open Spaces division had designed the scheme according to their suggestions.
They explained that getting approval had been what for them was a long process, how they had attended various meetings to convince those concerned of the need for the scheme and the support that they had been given by the Youth Service and Cultural Services. There had also been public consultation in the form of a newsletter to local residents, which had drawn a favourable response. The young people were concerned that they should be making a positive contribution to the area and they stressed that the new facilities would be for younger children also. Work was expected to start in a few weeks' time.
Councillor Meaden commented that in her mayoral year she had spoken to the young people involved at the outset of their scheme and, despite the time it had taken, was pleased to see it coming to fruition. She urged them to make sure that it was given some press coverage. Councillor Watt commended the efforts made by the young people to co-operate with local residents, a sentiment supported by a letter from the Newton Village Hall AGM. Councillor Bridson suggested that the young people might spread their good ideas to other groups - Dave stated that he would be willing to do that.
Steve Chan added that his staff had carried out an audit of the Park in relation to younger children. One item of equipment had been burned down (not by locals) and he was looking to see if it could be replaced.
Minute Decision :
Resolved -
(1) That Luke and Dave be thanked for their report and congratulated on their work on the project.
(2) That the Committee also record its appreciation of the work of all of those involved in the Youth Challenge Competition.
Minute 26 - POLICY OPTION: TO DEVELOP OUTREACH INITIATIVES
Minute Text :
Maureen McDaid reported in connection with the £21,000 that had been allocated to the Youth Service for further development of outreach initiatives. She explained that the Youth Service Outreach Team (YSOT) had eight locality outreach teams and a small specialist team that addresses alcohol misuse. YSOT engaged with and developed working relationships with young people on the streets, in parks and in other places where they congregated in their leisure time. Many of those young people were considered to be ‘hard to reach.’ Through their contact with the outreach youth workers, the young people were engaged in the Every Child Matters agenda. She went on to describe the particular activities that had been supported as a result of the funding.
Minute Decision :
Resolved - That the report be noted.
Minute 27 - SENIOR YOUTH WORKER - WIRRAL ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR TEAM
Minute Text :
Maureen McDaid reported on the activities of the Senior Youth Worker attached to Wirral's Anti-social Behaviour Team. Between 1 January and 31 December 2006 Greater Merseyside Connexions had funded a post to provide targeted services for harder to reach young people who were predominately not in education, employment or training. The objectives of the project included:
- making contact with young people at risk of offending (target group 13-19 years, focusing on 16-19 years);
- target work in known ‘hot spot’ areas;
- receiving referrals from relevant agencies, eg Police, Youth Offending Service, Community Safety Team, local dispersal areas, Neighbourhood Action Groups;
- improving awareness of Connexions' services among Police and Youth Service;
- facilitating inter-agency work by identifying clear referral routes;
- identifying young people to be offered information, advice and guidance regarding personal development opportunities, education, training and employment.
During the initial year the project had met all the required targets. As a result, it had been agreed that the role would continue in an amended form, funded through the Community Safety Team, with the worker being seconded into the Anti-Social Behaviour Team. This secondment had commenced in January 2007 and would run until March 2008.
Minute Decision :
Resolved - That the report be noted.
Minute 28 - AREA YOUTH FORUMS
Minute Text :
Maureen McDaid reported on the various issues that had been raised at recent meetings of Youth Forums. They included:
- public transport, particularly the high cost for those classed as adults;
- not having anywhere to go and a general lack of facilities and activities;
- the fact that most leisure facilities were adult-oriented;
- young people and drink;
- lack of public safety in parks and lack of lighting;
- litter;
- the negative perceptions of young people.
A separate range of issues had been highlighted in relation to the Police:
- their attitude to young people, and use of confrontational language;
- Section 30 orders, including the need to provide more information and the issue of personal safety after dispersal;
- restrictions in parks;
- being stopped and searched without explanation;
- the need to have more information about their rights.
Councillor Meaden referred to a Section 30 order operating in the Rock Ferry ward, where she felt there had been some misunderstanding over the circumstances in which it should be applied. Ian McCabe stated that some apparent inconsistencies had been brought to his attention and felt that joint training on the subject with youth workers, and possibly other agencies, would be helpful. His advice to young people, if they were concerned about their safety, was to stick together. Councillor Harney hoped that young people's comments on that issue to be referred from the forums to the local police.
Councillor Meaden asked about members attending youth forum meetings. Maureen McDaid felt it would be appropriate, but on a rota basis, and it would be appreciated if a councillor was on hand for young people to speak to after a meeting.
Minute Decision :
Resolved -
(1) That the report be noted.
(2) That the Area Commander, Merseyside Police, be approached about having a police representative on this Committee.
Minute 29 - NEXT MEETING
Minute Text :
Minute Decision :
Resolved - That the next meeting be arranged near to mid-June.
(Minutes Published: 25 June 2007)