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The Youth of Today
The Youth of Today, a consortium of leading youth organisations working together to increase the quality, quantity and diversity of opportunities for young people as leaders of change in their communities, was formally launched on Friday 3 July 2009 by the Prime Minister during a visit to Wolverhampton. For more information, go to The Youth of Today page.
Non-statutory national guidance on commissioning, delivery and evaluation of Positive Activities for Young People programmes
The guidance document Creating a sense of belonging brings together the learning from 15 local authority areas targeted to receive additional Positive Activities for Young People (PAYP) in 2008/09. It provides guidance to all local authorities on commissioning, delivery and evaluation of PAYP programmes in 2009/10 and 2010/11.
Transport Guidance: Supporting access to positive activities
This guidance, published in May 2009, is the result of collaborative work between the Department for Children, Schools and Familes (DCSF), the Department for Transport (DfT), the National Youth Agency (NYA) and stakeholders from local authorities and the third sector. It is aimed primarily at Children's Trusts and transport planners (although it will be a useful tool for a range of decision makers and providers at local level) to help them to address barriers to participation in positive activities by coherent planning of transport and service provision. The guidance is available to download free from ECM Online Publications.
Young people’s version now published
A new young people’s version of Aiming High for Young People, based on the Implementation plan, is now available. Published by the Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF), Activities & Engagement Division, it gives young people useful information about the commitments made within the strategy, progress made in investing in positive activities and how they can get involved.
This document is available in PDF format and can be downloaded from the ‘Associated Documents’ section at the bottom of this page (as well as from the DCSF website). Local Authorities and partner organisations may also wish to link to or publish the document on their own websites as a means of publicising their local offer.
Open Weekend
An Open Weekend is to be held on Friday 10 and Saturday 11 July. This weekend is a key milestone for local authorities and their partners in improving access for young people to Friday and Saturday night positive activities. The aim of Open Weekend is to encourage young people in local communities to make the most of what is on offer to them, finding alternatives to simply 'hanging around'.
Local Authorities are being asked to adapt their provision according to what young people tell them they want through the Youth Opportunity and Youth Capital Funds. They are also being asked to use funding streams such as Positive Activities for Young People and in some areas, Youth Capital Fund Plus (YCF+) funding too, and to draw on their commissioning powers, to ensure that positive activities extend throughout the week, particularly on Friday and Saturday evenings, when young people and communities most want and need them. For more information, visit the Open page.
myplace standard track announcement
On 4 March 2009, Beverley Hughes, Minister for Children, Young People and Families, announced the 41 projects chosen for myplace standard trackfunding, representing the next major milestone of a multi-million pound Government programme to deliver world-class places for young people to go. £180 million has been committed in the standard track of the first round, and the 4 March announcement follows on from the Secretary of State Ed Balls' announcement on 27 November 2008 of £62 million of capital investment in 21 fast track projects. For more information, visit the 'myplace' page.
Updated Aiming High implementation plan: Published 15 October 2008
For full details and to download the updated plan, go to the 'Implementation plan' page.
New guidance on The Youth Opportunity and Youth Capital Funds
Published on 8 May 2008, this guidance sets out out arrangements for LAs to deliver the two funds. Effective from April 2008, it replaces previous guidance issued in March 2006. For more information, visit the 'Youth Opportunity Fund and Youth Capital Fund' page.
Aiming High implementation plan
Published on 18 March 2008, the implementation plan sets out arrangements for implementing Aiming High for Young People; highlighting the progress to date, and describing the key actions to be taken over the next 12 months. For full details, download the Implementation plan and go to the 'Implementation plan' page.
Aiming High for Young People: A ten year strategy for positive activities, published in July 2007, sets out the Government's plans to help all young people, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to take part in enjoyable and purposeful activities in their free time.
Developed in response to new evidence that participation can help the development of social and emotional skills, and to address a clear demand from young people for greater access to activities, the strategy makes 55 commitments focusing on increasing young people's participation in positive leisure-time activities.
Designed to develop new skills and raise aspirations, the strategy will ensure that young people:
- are empowered to have a say in the creation of services and in local funding decisions
- can easily find out about local things to do and places to go, and are motivated to use the new and improved activities and facilities on offer
- have access to services of an excellent quality, delivered by a diverse and professional workforce who are valued and supported to develop the skills to make a difference for young people.
Delivery of this strategy, as well as the wider programme of reforms to services and support for young people, will require the ongoing commitment of LAs and of the full range of local partners, including the third and private sectors, parents and young people themselves. At national level, its implementation will be led by the DCSF, providing a strong and more strategic leadership across Government to improve youth outcomes.
To download the ten year youth strategy, and the young people's version, Get Involved!, go to the DCSF website.
Associated documents
Creating a sense of belonging
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Last updated on 03/07/2009
