The consultation, which runs until 30 November 2011, aims to capture the youth sector's desire for the development of an Institute for Youth Work as well as the sector's thoughts and views on how it would potentially operate.
The concept of an Institute for Youth Work has been debated for many years. Now, the National Youth Agency is assessing the feasibility of taking the idea further through its work with Catalyst – a consortium of four organisations co-ordinated by NCVYS, working with the Department for Education as the strategic partner for young people as part of the department's wider transition programme for the sector.
The first phase of this work will be to identify whether the notion for an Institute for Youth Work is supported, in principle, by the sector and will focus on capturing viewpoints from all levels - students through to senior youth work practitioners.
Amanda Fearn, National Youth Agency development officer, comments:
"This is an opportunity for colleagues to consider the broad principles and values of a potential institute that would be an independent body owned by its membership. This consultation will gauge the level of support for this and findings will steer future work.
"If the response to this is positive then the second phase of consultation will explore the complex detail behind all aspects of this from principles and mission through governance, functions, services and membership."
To ensure the sector's views are adequately represented through the consultation, the National Youth Agency is providing a variety of feedback opportunities including an online survey, a face-to-face feedback event at the National Youth Agency's offices in Leicester in November and making available materials to support organisations and individuals in capturing the views of their own stakeholders.
For further details visit www.nya.org.uk/exploring-an-institute-for-youth-work.
