Youth Service Review

The future of the Island Youth Service is facing major changes. Tim Wakeley, whose career spans forty years of working with young people including as a Head of Youth Service, has written to all Unitary and Parish councillors. Below is the full text of his letter.

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It is with deep concern for the well being of young people on the Island that I write to you in advance of the impending decision on the future of the Island Youth Service.

You may know of me as an active Liberal Democrat Councillor of the Ryde Town Council but I write this letter, not as a party political activist, but as someone who has spent over forty years working with young people in a variety of locations and different roles, including 11 years as Head of Youth Service within one of the largest local authorities in the country. I have also worked within the not for profit sector and as an independent consultant and advisor on youth related community based education.

I have a sound understanding of the legislation and 'notes for the guidance of local authorities' that underpin much that has been called on to inform the Review of the Island Youth Service. I have also been active at every stage of the consultation process that has been employed by officers of your council.

I contend that the process of review should be seen as a positive opportunity geared to enable public services to re-focus activities to fit the ever changing context of the work that is undertaken with local people. Review can often lead to transformational change within a short space of time thus minimising the disruption that change can often bring - there is no doubt in my mind that there is a need for such change to the Island Youth Service - on that we are agreed.

As ever though, the devil is in the detail and the rather vague, largely aspirational 'Draft Plan' that was, after more than two years in gestation, eventually published last autumn has been a bitter disappointment in the following ways:

1. A prime driver for the original Review was that the Island Youth Service was not reaching sufficient young people - poor value for money. The Draft Plan fails to specify the number of young people it will reach through the different strategies it aims to employ post Review. It also fails to identify any improved benefits and outcomes that will be achieved with young people as a consequence of the proposed changes.

2. There is little to no evidence produced to underpin the arguments for change. Indeed, the consultation process itself was greatly flawed and failed to acknowledge the views of young people in membership of the clubs and centres at risk of closure. A more appropriate, inclusive Review process would have contained face to face discussions with Service users. Young people in Ryde are totally ignorant of the proposals - I know because I have spoken to many of them.

3. The closure of Youth Centres will place a great many young people at a heightened level of risk at the very time when there is an even greater need for them to be provided with safe places to meet, be with friends and enjoy purposeful and positive activity and fun, together. The Island already has more than 11% of young people unemployed, a situation that continues to worsen. The number of young women falling pregnant in their teenage years is higher than national averages and anecdotal evidence suggests that alcohol and illegal substances are readily available on the streets of Ryde and other towns and villages. This is no time to be reducing support to young people.

4. There has been no meaningful dialogue with so called 'potential key partners' such as Town or Parish Councils and the opportunity (because of the frequent delays in progressing the Review) has now been missed for any allowance to be included for services to young people in this years Town and Parish Council precepts. Town and Parish Councils would not normally budget for such provision as they do not hold the statutory duty. I urge that such a dialogue is established as soon as possible to enable Town and Parish Councillors to understand the nature and scope of what is to be delivered in their respective localities to help them determine their own role in supporting future provision for young people - this debate has been too long in coming and cannot take place without there being clarity on exactly what is to be provided.

5. There is no evidence of consultation with the Police or of a Police view on the proposals contained within the Draft Plan. The Police should have been recognised as a 'key partner' for consultation purposes yet they appear to have been ignored.

I firmly believe that proposals for the closure of significant numbers of Centres for young people, without there being a well thought out realistic strategy for alternative provision, will put the Isle of Wight Council a serious risk of being in breach of its statutory obligations to young people as laid out in the Statutory Notes for Guidance issued to local authorities in March 2008. Paragraph 39, in particular states that:

39. 'This (youth) provision may be based around various forms of activity that prove attractive to young people (e.g. sports and music), but local authorities should recognise the unique contribution of youth work methods in securing positive outcomes while working within these contexts. For this reason, subsection 3 of section 507B requires that local authorities 'secure access for young people to 'sufficient educational leisure-time activities [and facilities] which are for the improvement of their personal and social development', thereby necessitating a specific consideration of whether the youth work provision available in the area, through all providers, is sufficient to meet needs'.

The re-location of youth service provision from learning services to community safety further exemplifies the complete lack of understanding of the nature and purpose of this important provision for young people and should be subject to challenge.

I therefore ask that you employ all of your 'political skills' to ensure that the proposals are not carried out until such time as it can be shown that there truly is a well thought out, thoroughly costed, effectively researched alternative service ready to take over.

Please, do not fail our young people at this critical time.

Yours sincerely

Cllr AJ (Tim) Wakeley

Ryde Town Council