Chris Meaden opened the meeting in Cllr Tony Smith’s absence

at another Committee meeting. 

The meeting was chaired by Lewis Collins (young person).

There were no matters arising.

To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 28 November 2012

  Agreed as a true record.

Lindsay Davidson congratulated Caroline Laing (Deputy Head of Service) on her recent appointment as a Constituency Manager within the Council and thanked her for her significant contribution to the Service.

Lindsay Davidson reported that 28 staff were leaving the Service through voluntary severance/early voluntary retirement.  Due to the number of staffing vacancies across the Service there had been no need to place staff on the Redeployment Register.  Staff within units from which local authority support is being withdrawn (detailed in the Head’s Report) are being relocated into other units temporarily; permanent relocations across the Service should be completed by the end of June 2013. 

Lindsay Davidson presented the Head’s Report.

Cllr Clements queried whether following the planned closure of Greasby Youth Club, the Pavilion in Coronation Park would continue to be used.  Lindsay Davidson reported that whilst the West Wirral Youth Outreach Team will continue to have a presence in the area, their use of the Pavilion as a base one night a week will cease.

Cllr Williams queried how the Service would continue to target the right young people with limited resources.  Lindsay Davidson reported that the four district Youth Outreach Teams were remaining in operation and their staffing levels had not changed.  These teams will continue to undertake street based work, including use of the Kontactabuses, five nights per week including Friday and Saturday nights.  Lindsay noted that work was ongoing to ensure that activity was targeted at the right young people.

Michelle Langan gave a presentation on the new GIRLS Group project (detailed within 1.2 and 1.3 of the Head’s Report).

  Cllr Meaden noted the limited drop out rate of young women, which was only 6 out of 62 participants.

Cllr Williams queried how referrals were made and the age range of the young women.  Michelle Langan confirmed that referrals had been made by a variety of agencies and services across Wirral using a set criteria.  The project is targeted at young women aged 13-19. Care has been given to structuring the seven groups of young women with similar age ranges where practicable.  Care has also been applied to ensure that age specific materials and resources are used.

A discussion also took place around work targeted at young men.  Wirral Youth Theatre in particular is undertaking work with males, funded through the Early Intervention Grant, focused on gender-based issues.  The importance of gender-specific work with young men and women being undertaken in tandem was agreed.

Young people from Wirral Youth Theatre acted a short extract from their production of ‘If you Loved Me’.  This explores what is healthy and unhealthy in relationships, looks at the spectrum of relationship abuse and aims to promote discussion.  The production was delivered to a number of school and youth groups in April 2013 and the young people are hoping to tour Wirral in July/August 2013.  Interest has been expressed by a number of schools and Wirral’s National Citizen Service.

  The extract was received very positively by the Committee and the young people shared how their participation had not only helped other young people but themselves too.  The production is hard hitting because it is based on real life experiences of young people, which were researched as part of its development.  Examples were provided of how the production had made young people rethink their relationships and their own behaviour.

8 October 2013