Lindsay Davidson presented the report of the service’s recent activities, and drew the Committee’s attention to the following:

a)  Youth Crime Action Plan (YCAP) funding had been secured until the end of March 2010, allowing Ria Modena and Adam Mellor to continue in post.  The funding focuses on increasing opportunities and activities for young people on Friday and Saturday nights.

b)  Jeni Cockayne, Team Leader of Counselling Services, had retired after the best part of 30 years service. Her expertise will be missed, and a successor is expected to be appointed.

c)  Charing Cross Youth Club had been attracting up to 70 young people with special needs, and had been successful in several applications for additional funding.

d)  Eastham Youth Centre’s Gardening Project had led to young people gaining Youth Achievement Awards.

e)  Birkenhead Youth Action Project had widened their activities through YCAP funding on Friday and Saturday nights, and in the Woodlands area, young people were involved in developing youth provision at Grange Baptist Church.

f)  Young People at Fender Youth Action Project had successfully achieved Appointed Persons First Aid Certificates.

g)  South Wirral Young People’s Project had delivered an Easter Positive Activities Programme at Bebington High School.

h)  Leasowe Youth Club, with “Response” and Wirral Youth Theatre were creating a DVD on Homelessness, which will be used as part of a prevention programme across Wirral Schools.

i)  West Kirby Youth Centre’s MC Forum had proved effective in introducing new members, many of whom had travelled in from as far as Rock Ferry and Seacombe.

j)  Wirral Youth Theatre, who were present to video record the evening’s meeting, had been commissioned to perform their work “Swings and Roundabouts”, which examines the risks and consequences of alcohol, at Halton Stadium.  Their “My Ideal Teacher” DVD had now been launched and distributed to schools as a training pack for teachers. A successful application for £15,000 to the Youth Opportunity Fund (YOF) had enabled a break dance project to develop across the Borough.

k)  Wirral Youth Theatre had also been selected as one of England’s five projects to run “Voltage”, a “V” music volunteering programme for young people, aged 16-25.

l)  “Response’s” Alcohol drop-in service has come on stream this year for young people, with or without their parents/carers, to informally discuss the risks, consequences and impact of alcohol misuse, and the Outreach Team is re-starting Saturday night street work.  The Housing Support Team’s “Stop Gap” project has been acclaimed by the Job Centre as “life changing”.

m)  A group of Looked After Children successfully completed their Duke of Edinburgh’s (DofE) Bronze Award Expedition, thanks to a successful application to the YOF. Over 150 Awards were presented by the Deputy Mayor at the Town Hall, Wallasey.

n)  This year’s International Exchange with Hong Kong is on schedule with the visitors being in Wirral from 12^th-25^th July 2009 and the Wirral young people visiting Hong Kong from 6^th-21^st September 2009.

o)  The Belvidere Centre has attained Bronze Standard for Health Promoting Youth Settings and is now open four evenings per week.

p)  The first NVQ2 Awards in Youth Work have been achieved from the partnership with Wirral Metropolitan College and the next intake has been inducted.

q)  The Service is working with Capita and the Department to create a new data collection and reporting system.

r)  The United Kingdom Youth Parliament (UKYP) elections were held in February, and two representatives elected.  Jade Jones has decided to continue her involvement as Youth Minister of Health for the North West.

  Resolved:

i)  That Jeni Cockayne be thanked for her service and accept the Committee’s best wishes in her retirement;

ii)  That Wirral Youth Theatre be thanked for video recording the meeting’s proceedings;

iii)  That the Head of Service be thanked for her report.