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Targeted youth support (TYS) redesigning services: Things to do in a very rural setting

Contact:
Peter.sugg@worcs.gov.uk
Provider:
Training and Development Agency
Topics:
Targeted youth support
Type:
Emerging practice
Date:
December 2006
Region:
West Midlands

Issue

There is limited access to youth activities in the rural part of the targeted youth support (TYS) pathfinder in Worcestershire.

Background

A youth centre opens twice a week for the 13 plus age group in Honeybourne, a local village. There are also some after school clubs in the local secondary, but transport is an issue as many young people are tied to getting buses home. Another major issue is a lack of suitable venues partly due to planning constraints.

A group of agencies, voluntary groups and local professionals meet as part of the children's fund to develop and provide activities for 8–13-year-olds, but they do not cater for the older age group.

Actions prompted by TYS

The TYS process engagement of young people highlighted the lack of things to do in this rural area. As part of the engagement, the youth service helped the young people produce a DVD showing how they spent their time, for example, using the churchyard or other public secluded places for drinking and smoking.

Building on the existing children's fund group, a TYS change team was created comprising representatives from:

The team has a practical remit to create more things for young people to do.

The team identified a number of gaps and barriers in the current provision. For example, young people in the area have little realistic access (mainly due to transport) to Connexions services.

A team member identified an unused articulated mobile theatre, parked in a local airstrip, which could be taken around to different venues to provide things to do for young people.

Benefits and results

Working in a change team helped its members to admit things were not working as well as they could. Operating together motivated and enthused the team to make things happen.

I've never seen two such enthusiastic and positive headteachers as the ones in the team. For example, one of them just opened up all of her school facilities for young people to use whenever they want, giving them the opportunity to do whatever they choose

Peter Sugg, children's fund manager and change team lead

The mobile theatre is now in operation and visiting different rural venues towed by local volunteers with Land Rovers and appropriate licenses (common in this rural area) on a weekly basis. It provides a range of activities and facilities. Some are solely fun-based, such as playing computer games and watching DVDs, and some are educational and advisory, for example, youth workers provide advice on alcohol and smoking and a Connexions PA provides confidential advice.

The TYS change team is currently exploring how passenger partnership funding (for buses) and the local transport plan can support young people's access to other services. The Council for Voluntary Youth Services is supporting this by providing expert advice on issues such as insurance and links to the local transport plan.

There's a commitment to monitor the success of these initiatives through consultation with young people.

The great success of the TYS process is that it is helping people lose their professional and service boundaries, admit when things are not working and look for solutions together. There is a new spirit of partnership between the county and the districts with a real understanding of their strengths

Peter Sugg

The LA

Worcestershire is a large county authority. Its TYS pathfinder is focused on a rural area and two deprived urban sites. The authority's statistical neighbours include:

Click to read more case studies on redesigning services to help young people with particular needs.

Download the contents of this page: docas a Word Document

Last updated on 01/12/2006