Local authorities urged to draw up youth action plans
Neil Puffett
Monday, December 19, 2011
All local authorities and government departments must publish their own youth action plan if the government's vision for youth services is to make a difference, the head of The National Council for Voluntary Youth Services (NCVYS) has said.
Susanne Rauprich, NCVYS chief executive, said she welcomes the publication of Positive for Youth, but added that urgent action is required to implement it.
The organisation wants young people to be involved in identifying priorities that need to be addressed. Political backing at ministerial or lead member level with young people is also needed in "steering its implementation".
NCVYS is also calling for the newly announced annual youth service audits to be presented to parliament so that the welfare of young people is considered at the highest level.
Rauprich said: "The publication of Positive for Youth follows 18 months of lobbying from NCVYS and the youth sector for the government to articulate its vision for young people.
"We applaud the government for responding. However, no vision or policy is worth anything if it isn’t followed by clear and decisive action."
Ian Green, chief executive of YMCA England said there are many elements of the policy statement which his organisation fully endorse, but he said he was disappointed that the government had not been bolder in setting out how the vision should be delivered.
"It is somewhat ironic that Positive for Youth coincides with more than £100m being cut from youth services across the country, with more to follow," he said.
"The government’s vision will come to nothing if those responsible for the delivery of services on the ground are not prepared to implement it and the Positive for Youth statement is very light on how it intends to address this fact."
Terry Ryall, chief executive of volunteering charity V, said: "Young people are key to creating a strong society and rebuilding a strong economy. They have the creativity and ability to devise enterprising solutions to many of our social problems.
"Government departments and local authorities now need to take action to create an environment where their potential is realised and we have a society that is truly positive for youth."
Charlotte Hill, UK Youth's chief executive, said a number factors have combined to leave young people disproportionally affected by the economic situation and the measures that the government has taken to resolve it. "Now is the time to turn this around," she said.
"We need political will to put young people first and collaboration at all levels to ensure Positive for Youth lives up to its promised vision."
Sue Atkins, director of Youth Association South Yorkshire (YASY), said: "At a local level we have seen youth services cut to the bone; so the issue for us is to get alongside young people and encourage them to be positive about themselves and their lives; more than that, to regain their trust in us to understand and respond to their real needs."
