MILTON KEYNES YOUTH SERVICES

MILTON KEYNES

YOUTH SERVICES

Milton Keynes Council

COMMON PLAN

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CONTENTS

Page

Introduction ……………………………….…….… 2

Strategic Objectives …………………….………. 3

The Local Context ……………………….…….…. 7

The Local Youth Service ……………….…….… 11

Resources ………………………………….…….. 23

Involving Young People ……………….………. 27

Equality and Diversity ……………….…………. 29

Quality and Staff Development………………. 32

Significant Practice Examples for the Service .. 34

Implementation of the Plan …………………… 36

Objectives …………………………………

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Introduction

The Milton Keynes Youth Service offer extensive informal education opportunities to

young people aged 13-19 across the Borough of Milton Keynes.

The Service works with young people in both a targeted and universal manner, offering

opportunities to a wide variety of young people some who face particular disadvantage

and need more support as well as those who voluntarily join a variety of open youth

work provision.

Across Milton Keynes JNC trained Youth Workers offer appropriate informal education

opportunities through a wide variety of outlets which support all young people to achieve

their full potential from dependence to inter-dependence and make an effective

transition to adult life.

The Milton Keynes Youth Service Common Plan 2003-2004 has been written as a result

of a consultation with staff, young people, colleagues from partner organisations,

agencies and the voluntary sector.

Information, meetings, conferences and consultation events have taken place

throughout November to inform the findings.

In addition to this a research project was commissioned to carry out research into young

peoples needs in Milton Keynes. It was decided at the outset of this planning process

that there had been a wide array of research carried out directly with young people so

the researcher was commissioned to bring together all current research into the needs

of young people in Milton Keynes and carry out a survey of all relevant national reports

and strategies. This research “Milton Keynes Audit Report” by J Patrick Associates is

included as Appendices 1 and has greatly influenced the objectives included in the plan.

A database of all the research reports and findings will shortly be available for both the

Milton Keynes Youth Service and partner agencies to use in the future.

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1. STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

1.1. Government Objectives

The Government has identified clear priorities for the Youth Service. Work needs to bedelivered which is set within an informal education framework, which is well plannedaccording to national and local research, well maintained and well resourced.

The Government has set Youth Service priorities. Services will offer quality support toyoung people with a clear focus on those aged 13 – 19 which helps young peopleachieve and progress and

• Enables the voice of young people to be heard, including helping them to influencedecision making at all levels, including service design and delivery.

• Provides a rich diversity of personal and social development opportunities andchoices to young people to include voluntary action, peer support and mentoring.

• Promotes intervention and prevention to address the individual, institutional andpolicy causes of disaffection and exclusion.

• Is well planned with clear aims and objectives and focused on achieving outcomesthat reflect the needs and priorities of young people at the local level.

• The government has identified that Youth Services should engage with Connexionsperformance indicators * as well as contribute to cross cutting targets,

which are:-

• the proportion of 16 – 19 year olds in employment, education and training(including teenage mothers)

• improve attendance rates in compulsory education.• increase the proportion of the cohort who have been helped by a Connexions

intervention• numbers of 16 year olds obtaining 5 or more GCSE’s• numbers of 19 year olds achieving NVQ level 2’s• reduce school truancies by 1%• reduce number of under 18 conceptions• 90% of these supervised by Youth Offending Teams are in education, training

and employment• increase proportion of young people with a drug related problem that are referred

to specialist support• increase local targets to improve participation amongst a local priority group

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In addition to these, the government has identified specific priorities for Youth Services,which are:-

• community cohesion and cultural diversity• active citizenship• crime reduction and nuisance• drug prevention• raising achievement• reducing under 18 conception levels and local teenage pregnancy strategies• reducing the number of young people not in education, employment or

training.• involving young people in local decision-making, democratic and participatory

activities and service design and delivery.

1.2. The Local Authority

Milton Keynes Council’s corporate objectives and priorities

“To promote the sustainable social, economic and environmental well being of MiltonKeynes’

• Develop a community for all. - promoting social inclusion and equality

• Enable personal development and enrichment.- improving standards in schools- improving support for pupils with special educational needs

• Develop a high quality place to live.- improving housing performance to meet needs- reducing levels of crime and disorder- developing central Milton Keynes- road and pavement maintenance

• Promote a sustainable growth and development.- improving waste collection- improving public transport

• Encourage a caring and inclusive society.- promote independence and choice for older people- promote closer working with the health service

• Management Priorities.- improving the Council's business and support systems- introducing electronic government

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1.3. Milton Keynes Youth Service objectives

The main objectives for the Youth Service in Milton Keynes for 2003-2004 havebeen prioritised as a result of an extensive consultation process. The consultationhas been with the maintained, voluntary and community Youth services and alsowith young people. The methods used include

• Youth Service Advisory Group ( membership list attached)

• Youth Service Forum

• Staff meetings

• Conferences

• Focus groups with young people

• Audit of all relevant consultation/research – a copy of which is enclosed asAppendices 1.

The objectives are a combination of government agenda and locally identified needs.Social inclusion, community cohesion, and involving young people in decision makingare implicit in all the objectives, although more explicit in some.

The objectives link closely with other plans within the Milton Keynes area, for examplethe Teenage Pregnancy Strategy, Youth Justice plan, Race Equalities Scheme,Connexions Business Plan.

We intend developing the following objectives in 2003/2004

• To work to young people at risk of disaffection and exclusion

• To extend the range of personal and social development opportunities

• To promote active citizenship, enabling young people to be a positive part of thecommunity

• To ensure that youth service resources are used effectively to maximiseopportunities for face to face delivery

• To provide additional opportunities for young people to extend their learning

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1.4. Anticipated Developments

2004/05

Develop work in City CentreDevelop work with accommodation providers to develop Youth Housing Strategy.To further develop electronic information system to young people.Develop specific work with disabled young people.Develop further external funding opportunities.To set up work on the flanks of Milton Keynes in conjunction with 2 new secondaryschools

2005/06

To set up City Centre Youth BaseDevelop work with young people in the rural area and transport issues.

1.5. Monitoring and Evaluation

The Service currently evaluates its targets and objectives in a variety of manners:-

1. by the use of an extremely effective electronic data monitoring system. Individual information is fed in at project level and electronically accumulated into Service level information. This quantitative information is regularly analysed at both team and Service level.

2. visits to projects are made on a regular basis by senior staff and visit monitoring forms completed and discussed with individual workers.

3. work plans are written at:-project levelteam levelservice leveldepartment level

These plans are formally evaluated on a three monthly basis.

The Youth Service plans are all shared with the local Connexions partnership.

The Service currently has two performance indicators1. to increase the number of young people using the Service2. to increase the number of positive comments made about the Service.

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2. THE LOCAL CONTEXT

2.1. Geography

The Youth Service in Milton Keynes covers the area of the Borough of Milton Keyneswhich consists of a large area of development from the mid. 1960s but includes someolder towns. There is a small rural area to the Southeast and a larger rural area to theNortheast. There has been considerable expansion in population and the 2001 censusgives the total population in Milton Keynes as 207,618.

The bulk of the recent growth and that planned for the next few years is in the easternand western flanks and the need to develop all services in these areas is recognised.

Milton Keynes is an area of general prosperity and low unemployment but there areareas of deprivation particular in a corridor from the centre southwards encompassingthe town of Bletchley. Woughton Ward is among the 10% lowest wards in the countryon the multiple deprivation index and Eaton Manor also comes into this category ineducation, housing and child poverty.

The level of qualification is below average for the South East Region and the level ofeducational attainment as measured at key stages 3 & 4 is also below average but isimproving rapidly. The crime rate is quite low and in general improving. The onegeographical area of increasing crime is the central commercial area but this largelyreflects the increasing number of visitors. Because this area attracts people from anarea around Milton Keynes it is difficult to judge the extent to which these offences arecommitted by residents of the borough. The figures for young offenders reflect thispattern.

2.2. Demography

The 1991 census gave a figure of only 5.77% of the population in Black and EthnicMinority groups but the present figure is estimated at about double this percentage of aconsiderably bigger total population. The percentage of the school age population isabout 12.3. With the exception of a well-established Bangladeshi population in Bletchleyand a newer Pakistani population in Wolverton most of the ethnic minority population isdistributed across the urban part of the Borough. More recent arrivals of refugees andasylum seekers from Somalia & Tanzania have increased the population of Africanorigin considerably and there are significant pockets of population of these groups.

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2.3. Population

The population is relatively youthful but the peak population in 2001 was in the 30s andis expected to be the forties by 2011. The population of young people by age groups isgiven below: -

10-14 15-19 20-24 Total2001 14,979 13,782 12,552 41,313Expected 2011 15,860 16,050 16,860 48,770

Figures are taken from the 2001 census, MKC Facts & Figures and otherdocumentation read.

2.4. Specific data on young people in Milton Keynes

Total number of young people aged 13 – 18 in education

13 14 15 16 17 182636 2527 2430 1272 732 71

Percentage of pupils obtaining five or more GCSE’s at “A” or equivalent

Baseline TargetAugust 2001 August 2002 August 2003 August 200442.5% 48% 52% 53%

School attendance % of half days missed

Academic year Target academic year2001/02 2002/039% 7%

Young People not in Education, Employment or TrainingJanuary – December 2002

Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec412 416 427 899 1002 965 996 904 827 1269 1303 1232

Teenage conceptions (Conception figures for 15-17 year olds per 1,000 females)

Number MK Rate MK Rate SE Region Rate England1998 210 51.1 37.7 46.51999 221 55.2 35.8 44.72000 214 52.1 35.7 43.6

As you can see from these figures the Milton Keynes rates are higher than both theregional and national conception rates.

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Percentage of Minority Ethnic Group pupils in Milton Keynes by year group -Jan 2002

Year Minority Ethnic Groups Year Minority Ethnic Groups1 12.8% 8 9.2%2 13% 9 9.8%3 11.9% 10 11.5%4 10.6% 11 10.6%5 10.6% 12 13.4%6 11.4% 13 13.1%7 11.4% 14 6.9%

Changes in Minority Ethnic Groups since 1991

The nature of the way the city has developed, estates within a network of grid roads,means that estates can seem rather isolated particularly for those residents without theirown transport which often includes young people. The bigger retail outlets andcommercial leisure facilities are concentrated in the centre or in non-residential areas.

Residents and workers within some of the older town areas on the edge of the urbanarea express the feeling that these are rundown and neglected in favour of central

0.00 0.50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50

Any Other Group

Bangladeshi

Black African

Black Caribbean

Black Other

Chinese

Indian

Pakistani

Percentage of 5 to 18 year olds

1991

2002

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development and this is particularly expressed in Bletchley. Some estates feel isolatedand ‘labelled’ particularly the Lakes estate, Granby and Netherfield.

Milton Keynes has a good history of multi-agency activity and a strong voluntary sector.Many of the services to young people are delivered by groups within the voluntarysector with financial, and in some cases staff support from the MKC Youth Service. Insome organisations staff are paid and managed within the Youth Services and MiltonKeynes Council, therefore, gives considerable financial support, including on-costs,demonstrating the strong partnership that the Council’s Youth Services maintain withthe voluntary sector. There are particularly strong links with several Parish Councils inMilton Keynes where they finance youth workers via Milton Keynes Council YouthService to work in their own patch.

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3. THE LOCAL YOUTH SERVICE

In the 2001 Ofsted inspection of Milton Keynes Youth Service they said: -

“The quality of youth work is good (93%) and young people achieve highstandards (96%) and gain much from their involvement:

3.1 Mission Statement

The Service Mission Statement says: -

“Through the core values of equality, empowerment, education and participation,contact with youth workers will enable young people to explore interaction betweenthemselves, their peers and society. We will deliver a service for and with young people.It will engage with young people and actively involve them in decision-makingprocesses. Programmes will be provided which will give young people the opportunity totest ideas, which enables them to develop the knowledge, skills and values to enjoy therights and responsibilities of adult citizenship. We will deliver this within a framework ofequal opportunities and a safe, dynamic, creative and innovative environment”.

3.2. Department Location

The Service is part of the Leisure Youth and Community Service which is part of theCommunity and Economic Department and part of the Learning & Developmentdirectorate. It sits firmly within an ethos of education and empowerment.

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3.3. Service Structure

The Service is broken up into two teams, each managed by an Officer as follows :-

Shirley JenkinsSENIOR ADMIN

ASSISTANT(PART-TIME)

Sam ParrottMOBILE

PROJECTWORKER

VacantYOUTH WORKER

Counselling

Michael SorensonYOUTH WORKER

InformationAdvice

Yvonne McLaughlinYOUTH

INFORMATIONMANAGER

Part-timeYouth Workers

(1)(22 hrs)

Roz MascarenhasCONNEXIONS

ENGAGING YOUNGPEOPLE WORKER

Sean McDermottYOUTH FORUMDEVELOPMENT

WORKER

Michael GreenfieldCLOSE TO

HOME CO-ORDINATOR

VacantYOUTH WORKER(ACCREDITATIONDEVELOPMENT)

Kim FountainSTAFF DEVELOPMENT

& TRAININGWORKER

VacantLOCAL

CONNEXIONSCO-ORDINATOR

Carol WintonC&YP

RIGHTS WORKER(DISABILITY)

Roz MascarenhasP/T C&YPRIGHTS

WORKER

Debi MorganCHILDREN

& YOUNG PEOPLESRIGHTS OFFICER

Hilary SolwayYOUTH SUPPORT &

STAFF DEVELOPMENTOFFICER

Youth Support and Staff Development

Jan LockeCOMMUNITY

DEVELOPMENT WORKERLAKES ESTATE

Paul TaylorYOUTH WORKER

Phil PascalYOUTH WORKER

(SRB)

Geraldine GarfittNatalie De Vernon

SOCIAL WORKERS

Nic CullenFULL-TIME

FIXED TERMYOUTH WORKER

Barbara BoothroydPART-TIMEWORKER

Linda BallantyneFULL-TIME

FIXED TERMYOUTH WORKER

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Jennie EdwardsSENIOR ADMIN

ASSISTANT

Michelle BrookesSENIOR ADMIN

ASSISTANT

Jocelyne NewmanYOUTH WORKER

(Olney)

VacantLEADER IN CHARGE

(York House)

Don GarnhamYOUTH WORKER

OUTREACH - NORTH(Mathiesen)

Mike ListerYOUTH WORKER

(Mathiesen)

Gavin WattsYOUTH WORKER(Newport Pagnell)

Terry IslesYOUTH WORKER(JUNIOR & RURAL

YOUTH WORK)

Gary AlleboneTEAM LEADER

(NORTH)(Mathiesen)

Michelle BrookesSENIOR ADMIN

ASSISTANT

Clare SlatteryPART TIME

LEADER IN CHARGEWater Eaton

Rosie HarriottYOUTH WORKER

(outreach)

Louise LabelleYOUTH WORKER

(Bletchley)

Katy MillerYOUTH WORKER

(Jonathans)

Abdur ChoudhuryYOUTH WORKER

(Unity Youth Project)

Lisa LovellWORKING WITH

AFRICAN/CARIBBEANYOUNG PEOPLE

Tony MillardTEAM LEADER

(SOUTH)Jonathans

Maggi RammICT AND TRAINING

DEVELOPMENT WORKER

Sue PayneYOUTH SERVICES

OFFICER

Youth Service

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Within a review of the service in 1998, the services Outdoor Education Centre and Dukeof Edinburgh Award Project were relocated into the Leisure Facilities Service. Theproject continues to work to a youth work ethos and is resourced from the main YouthService budget, which is transferred to Leisure Facilities.

3.4. Age Range

The Youth Service in Milton Keynes works with young people in the main in the 13-19age range. Some work is delivered to young people 19 –25 through the YouthInformation Service and Milton Keynes Youth Forum particularly. We also providesupport to young people 8 – 13 through the Milton Keynes Junior Youth Work Projectwhich supports volunteers in the community offering opportunities for the 8 – 13 agegroup.

3.5. Services

Work is delivered through a variety of mediums, which include open youth work,detached youth work, outreach work, project work, counselling information and advice,schools work, outdoor education, Duke of Edinburgh Award, special events, rural youthwork, work with young women, work with young people with disabilities, work with blackand ethnic minority young people, work at Milton Keynes College, IT project, work withyoung carers, work with young people leaving care, international work. The Close toHome project is a particularly interesting project, which is multi disciplinary and works inthree secondary schools with young people at risk of disaffection.

A full list of projects and delivery is included as Appendices 2

Two thirds of the land mass of Milton Keynes is rural and for several years we haveworked in the rural area. Half a Full Time Worker post with a small team of part timestaff currently undertakes this work, with young people aged 13 –19.

We have recently seconded a Full Time Youth Worker into developing work with Africanand Caribbean young people as a result of monitoring our statistics, which have shownthe low number of African and Caribbean young people the Service was accessing. Oneof the first achievements of this project was a “Black Talent Show” to celebrate BlackHistory Month, in October this year.

Three years ago we commissioned a large piece of research (Milton Keynes YouthService Racism, Racial Attacks) to look at how we could best work with Asian youngpeople in the South of the city who were victims of racial harassment and racial attacks.As a result of this report we have appointed an Asian Youth Worker to work in this partof the city and recently opened a Cyber Café/Information Shop called the Unity Project,near to the main Asian Community in South Milton Keynes.

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The Youth Service contributes to social cohesion issues through a variety of its work. Allopen youth work projects have delivered curriculum-based work either aimed at Blackand Asian young people or aimed at raising awareness of cultural issues.

Particular projects have been developed to encourage young people to work together ieThe Loft Project in Bletchley, which encourages young people from a variety of culturalbackgrounds. A summer project held on the Lakes Estate in Bletchley this summerworked with a variety of young people from a socially deprived area.

A wide variety of work involves young people in the citizenship agenda. Young peoplewho are involved in outreach and rural projects reflect citizenship work; they have beeninvolved in participation at a variety of parish/borough Council meetings. Work has beenundertaken to support young people gaining certain facilities, ie a kick wall facility atFullers Slade and a skateboard area at Newport Pagnell and the City CentreSkateboarding Project. Young people are represented on Management Committees ofprojects, involved in the recruitment and selection of staff at all levels, young people arealso represented on the Youth Service Advisory Group and the Local StrategicPartnership. Young peoples views are frequently sought through the Milton KeynesYouth Forum and are actively involved in young people being represented in aninternational context. An annual Customer Satisfaction Survey also takes place.

Young people are also involved in a wide variety of locally based community events egcarnivals, fiestas.

The delivery of services to young people occurs through the previously mentionedmethods. Where there is a Full Time Youth Worker Youth Centres are open for aminimum of four evenings a week, in addition to holiday/weekend/daytime projects.Outreach projects work in the evenings as well as within after school and schoollunchtime projects and holiday projects. Close to Home work with young people withinschool time as well as holiday projects. Outdoor education is delivered through bothevening, daytime, weekend and holiday work and the Youth Information Service is open5 mornings and 2 afternoons a week. The Youth Information Service works from a citycentre base as well as a mobile project which visits schools, estates and centres at avariety of times.

In the main we work with a split of male/female users, in year end 2000 52% male 48%female of each. 79% of our work is with white young people 10% of our current work iswith Asian young people and 5% of our work is with African and Caribbean youngpeople.

Work is also delivered to :-

Young people in out of school projects (YPOS)Young people seeking information/advice Youth Information Service and

Connexions workAll youth work projects.

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Young Womens groups Olney Youth Centre,Bletchley Youth CentreClose to Home.

Young people in fear of exclusionClose to HomeAll schools work.

Centre based work Nine purpose built centres, who all undertakeregular curriculum projects.

Work with young peopleand drugs Drugzfreezone, drugs workshops in youth

projects and schools.

Young people leaving care Young People Incorporated

Disabilities group Mathiesen Centre Water Eaton Youth Project

Rural Youth Work Project Young people in rural areas.

Work with black young people Unity ProjectMusic Workshop ProjectLoft ProjectAfrican/Caribbean project

Multi disciplinary work Close to HomeFilm workshops

Young people and crime Retail Theft InitiativeFilm laboratories.

Outreach projects On estates across Milton Keynes.

Mentoring projects Three secondary schoolsNorth Youth Work Team.

Young people as carers Young Carers Project.

Support both financial and other is also given to voluntary sector projects working withspecific groups of young people.

Young people and crime Wheelwright Project,Living Archive.

Teenage pregnancy Brook Advisory Service

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Gay and lesbian young people Youthline Project (Encouraging/involving youngIn their own provision)

The Service works clearly to a curriculum policy, where all staff appreciate the need todevelop all work on an informal education basis.

We have included a copy of our new draft curriculum policy, which has recently beenrewritten as a result of our recent Ofsted inspection. This policy is currently out forconsultation and we intend to launch it at a Curriculum Conference to be held on 15th

March 2003. Appendices 5.

3.6. Working in Partnership – see 3.9 for more detail

Milton Keynes Youth Service works with a variety of key partners:-

ConnexionsMilton Keynes Youth Information ServiceAll Secondary SchoolsMilton Keynes Council for Voluntary Youth ServiceMilton Keynes Childrens & Young People's RightsSpecial SchoolsMilton Keynes Drugs and Alcohol Team,Milton Keynes Teenage Pregnancy Strategy GroupMilton Keynes Council Education DepartmentMilton Keynes Council Childrens ServicesMilton Keynes Housing and Voluntary Housing ProvidersMilton Keynes Community Safety PartnershipChildren's Fund Interim BoardInterlinkYMCAMilton Keynes Race Equality CouncilLuton UniversityMilton Keynes CollegeDe Montfort University, LeicesterEducation out of SchoolsLibrary ServiceGOSESports Action ZoneTown & Parish CouncilsThames Valley PolicePrimary Health Care TrustsYouth Offending TeamYouth Information Service

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3.7. Connexions

Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Connexions works as a contractingmodel, with the Youth Service holding the contract for the Engaging Young PeopleWorker and at present the Local Co-ordinator. A Service Level Agreement has beendeveloped to draft form, outlining the roles, responsibilities and ways of working forConnexions and The Milton Keynes Youth Service. (Appendices 4)

The Youth Service at a senior level is represented on the Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire &Buckinghamshire Connexions Board and the Local Management Committee. An electedmember chairs the Local Management Committee, which also ensures he has a placeon the Board. The Youth Service is also represented on various other Connexionsworking groups including; post 16/vulnerable young people, engaging young people,operations, equalities, schools, management information and learning disability.

At present eight Youth Work staff (consists of a mixture of full time and part time) havecompleted or are studying for the Personal Advisor Diploma Course. Only one hascompleted the Understanding Connexions due to the withdrawal of the course pendingchanges. A programme of Introducing Connexions is due to be delivered by thePartnership in the near future.

Milton Keynes Youth Service has no Personal Advisors, however, Youth Workers inspecialist roles, multi-agency teams and outreach roles contribute to the partnership inkind.

• The Youth Information Service provides information, advice and counselling toyoung people and works closely with the Community Personal Advisors whohave a weekly slot to use their premises for interviews with clients if appropriate.As a result of a Lottery bid, the Youth Information Service has a mobile project,which ensures that its provision reaches a wider audience, including the ruralarea.

• The Close to Home team provides a variety of preventative opportunities withinthe catchment area of four schools identified as having great need. They offerworkshops designed to develop self-esteem, address anger management, otherbarriers to learning or social inclusion. The Close to Home team also works withcommunities in Milton Keynes.

• Outreach workers engage young people across Milton Keynes in order toaddress social exclusion issues.

• The Caldecotte Project is an outdoor education centre, which has responsibilityfor Duke of Edinburgh Awards. They have increased their involvement withvulnerable and disaffected young people. They have a contract to deliverSummer Activities to post 16 young people who may be vulnerable.

• The Youth Forum Development Worker manages the contract for the EngagingYoung People Connexions Worker. This area of work is also committed to givingyoung people a voice, which contributes to the Connexions agenda.

• Rural work, supports volunteers to deliver youth provision in the rural areas.

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• Retail Theft Initiative is supported by the Youth Service and addresses the issueof crime and young people.

• Unity Project is a cyber café in Bletchley, an area with a high Bangladeshipopulation. This project seeks to engage all young people in the service andwork towards community cohesion.

• Targeted work with African and Caribbean young people has developed throughTransforming Youth Work and a variety of initiatives are being developed toensure access to opportunities for personal development.

• All Youth centres are either primary or secondary Access Points for Connexions.

3.8. The Voluntary Sector

The Youth Service considers the Voluntary and Community Youth Sector to be an equalpartner in the delivery of this Service Plan.

We recognise the Voluntary and Community Youth Sector is a key partner in thedelivery of services to young people. We are committed to enhancing and building thecapacity of Voluntary Sector.

The Youth Service operates an inclusive policy with the Voluntary and CommunityYouth Sector being given the opportunity to deliver all elements of this Service Plan.Monitoring of outputs occurs by a variety of mechanisms including: contracting,compact agreements, partnership working and specifically themed grant aid packagesaligned to Identified Needs.

There are a variety of ways in which the Statutory, Voluntary and Community YouthSector currently work together. Mechanisms for engagement, consultation andcontribution to planning include: -

• Youth Advisory Group - a group chaired by the elected member with the cabinetportfolio and has a membership of professionals, young people, voluntary andcommunity workers. This group is tasked with overseeing the development of theCommon Plan and the implementation of the Transforming Youth Work Fund.

• Youth Service Forum - a consultative forum consisting of an equal representation ofthe maintained, Voluntary and Community Youth Sector.

• Financial support to the voluntary and Community Youth Sector in terms of GrantAid and Wider Use.

• Youth Service representation on a number of voluntary organisation’s ManagementCommittees (in advisory roles), including the Milton Keynes Council for VoluntaryYouth services (MKCVYS) Executive Committee.

• Joint development of a Curriculum Policy and accompanying packs to support thework, which will seek also to promote the work of the Voluntary and CommunityYouth Sector.

• Partnership agreements are being developed between the maintained and Voluntaryand Community Youth Sector organisations.

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• Annual Conference on future planning and sharing of good practice for young peopleservices in Milton Keynes

• Chair of Milton Keynes Council for Voluntary Youth Services, is a member of theConnexions Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Connexions Board Sub-regional Community & Voluntary Sector Strategy Group – which has accessed fundsto employ Strategic Manager to implement strategies to capacity build the sectoracross the sub-region.

• Employ and manage staff on behalf of voluntary sector ie Youth Information Service,Parish Councils.

• Offer joint training• Facilitate police checks

We offer grants to the voluntary youth sector within the following criteria: -

To be eligible for a grant your organisation must be able to satisfy the criteria below: -1. Be registered with the Milton Keynes Council’s Youth Registration Scheme.2. Provide a service for young people between the ages of 8 to 25 years.3. The organisations’ activities must have a programme of activities, which take place

within the borough of Milton Keynes.4. Adopt Milton Keynes Council ‘s Youth Strategy.5. Explain how the organisation relates to the aims of the Youth Strategy.6. Offer Best Value.7. Demonstrate clearly how the work of the organisation will be monitored and

evaluated.8. Have a plan to secure new sources of funding as appropriate.9. Demonstrate a commitment to equal opportunities, showing clear anti-

discriminatory policies.10. Explain how the project encourages young people to be involved in the running of

the project in an appropriate way.11. Have an appropriate management structure (e.g. management committee,

executive officers etc.).

Organisations must also provide:1. An Annual Report2. Constitution or set of rules, defining its aims, objectives and operational procedures.3. A copy of its most recent audited or approved and signed accounts.4. An Equalities Policy.

An organisation will not be funded if it:1. runs as a profit-making venture.2. is a political organisation.3. holds uncommitted reserves of 3 months or more running costs.

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Community Grants (Supporting Young People) 2002/03Milton Keynes Young Peoples Befrienders Scheme £10,773

Milton Keynes Brook Advisory Centre £12,608

Milton Keynes Youthline £4,100

Guide Association of Bucks £3,157

MADCAP Trust £10,506

Springfield Initiative £2,358

Milton Keynes Scouts £3,157

Wheelright Motor Project £6,239

Milton Keynes Council for Voluntary Youth Services £0

Youth Information Service £7,739

Somali Community Association in MK £2,500

St Johns Ambulance £500

*Milton Keynes Young Peoples Befrienders Scheme £1,740

*Milton Keynes Youthline £4,000

*Milton Keynes Brook Advisory Centre £4,000TOTAL £73,377

• Second grants given for specific one off projects.• Milton Keynes Council for Voluntary Youth Service not in receipt of grant for 2002/03

due to non-expenditure of previous grant.

We do not envisage any change to grant aid for 2003/04.

3.9. Other Partnerships

Thames Valley Police works closely with the Youth Service. There is representation atsenior level on the Youth Advisory Group. Specific initiatives include the Retail TheftInitiative where police, prison service, city centre retail managers and the Youth Servicedeliver a programme to young people who have committed shoplifting offences. Thereare links in some schools with the School Liaison Police Officer to deliver joint work.This is an area where we want to increase our joint working. On the Lakes Estate inBletchley a Police Officer is seconded to be part of the Summer Activities programme.The Youth Service has Service Level Agreements with mainstream secondary schoolsin Milton Keynes. This does not extend to the special schools or those working withyoung people excluded from mainstream school and in alternative provision.There are partnership arrangements with Childrens Services within the Close to Hometeam, where Children's Social Services pay for two full time workers. Also work withyoung people in care in terms of a targeted youth club facility, a Participation Workermanaged by the Youth Forum Worker and membership on the leaving care strategygroup. The CYPR team are jointly funded by Childrens Social Services, Health andYouth Service.Milton Keynes College employs a Youth Worker as a result of joint funding between theYouth Service & the College.

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A Partnership Agreement exists between The Youth Service and University of Luton forstudents on Diploma in Youth & Community Studies. Also the Youth Service is part of aconsortium who hold the contract for, and deliver, the Personal Advisor Diploma in theregion. The Youth Service are developing links with De Montfort University for Part timetraining to Full Time qualification.

Youth Service representation on strategy groups for Teenage Pregnancy, Drugs ActionTeam, Community Safety, International work(regional board for Connect Youth), AntiRacial Harassment Group, Voluntary sector groups(representatives on executive andmanagement groups) and Children & Young Peoples Partnership Board.

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4. RESOURCES

4.1. Finance

Mainstream funding from the Local Education Authority totalled £1232,242.00 in thefinancial year 2002/03.

4.2. Youth Service Expenditure

Total expenditure for the Youth Service is

Internal 2002/03Caldecotte Project £65,796Leisure Youth & Community Support £36,000North Team total £582,325South Team total £484,265Training £93,110Staff Development £66,928Close to Home £90,807Youth Information Service £131,250Youth Forum £47,430Junior & Rural Project £52,430Youth Support & Staff Development £176,770

Total1,232,242.00

In addition to this external funding was received as follows:-

External 2002/03Single Regeneration Board £26,000Connexions £64,805Parish Council £65,000Public Service Agreement £58,940Transforming Youth Work £83,193Childrens Rights (Barnados) £25,830Millennium Volunteers £164,650Engaging Young People £11,166Health Authority £97,296Drug Education £3,475Duke of Edinburgh Award £28,760Social Services £61,319BarnadosBrook £1,000Rathbone £500

Totals£691,934

This budget has remained static in cash terms for three years despite an annualincrease in the youth population. In year 2001, it was 1 ⋅3% of the total educationbudget.

24

4.3. Staffing

The Service employs 18 Full Time Youth Workers, 68 (12.31 Full Time Equivalent) PartTime Youth Workers and 13 (6.5 Full Time Equivalent) Administration Staff.

The main changes in staffing in this financial year are:a. the introduction of a secondment to work with Black/Caribbean young people –

through Transforming Youth Work monies.b. the change from full time to half time by one Full Time Youth Worker (following

maternity leave).c. the introduction of a trainee postd. long term sickness of one trainer, covered by contractorse. long term vacancy to work with accreditation of young people’s learning.

Staffing changes in 2003/04

There will be:-

1. a reduction to Close to Home by two full time staff as end of external funding2. as a result of a review of the use of buildings, this may result in staff being relocated.

The service has experienced difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff.

4.4. Accommodation and outlets used.

During the year 2003/04, we intend to deliver our work through:

Youth CentresSchoolsMilton Keynes CollegeThe CommunityMobile provisionCity Centre Shopping CentreSpecialist information advice venueOutdoor Education Centre

In total, the Service owns purpose built youth centres at Caldecotte, Olney, Bradville,Wolverton, Bletchley, Water Eaton, Coffee Hall and Leadenhall. We also use aCommunity based youth centre at Newport Pagnell in conjunction with the localManagement Committee. A small shop unit is leased in Central Bletchley for the UnityProject.

25

Most of these buildings were built post Albermarle and are managed by localManagement Committees. We have partnership agreements set up between the YouthService and each Management Committee.

As a result of the review of the Youth Service in 1998 a decision was made to reducethe number of buildings used by 50%. This was effected later that year. The remainingbuildings are spread around the city to offer as good a spread as possible for youngpeople to access the Service. In addition to these post Albermarle buildings we haveincreased our outlets in the last three years to specifically meet planned needs. Wehave moved into a self-contained part of the school in Water Eaton, a small self-contained unit in Coffee Hall and have moved into a commercial shop near the AsianCommunity in Bletchley to open the Cyber Café. The Youth Information Service havealso moved into special accommodation suitable for their specific needs in the citycentre.

“Newly furnished premises are well located, suitably equipped and fit for thepurpose”

(Milton Keynes Ofsted report June 2001)

of the twelve outlets used:

ten are owned by the local authorityone is owned by the local Communityone is owned by the Youth Service

Work is also delivered in all nine secondary schools, and outreach projects lease/use avariety of Community based buildings across the city. Outreach teams are based inyouth centres, north and south of the city.

We have no plans currently to expand the number of locations we use. Currently thebalance of the Service delivery is

50% centre based24% outreach work26% project based in various buildings.

The Service owns one specialist building at Caldecotte which is a purpose built OutdoorEducation Centre based at Caldecotte with a water facility. We also use two specialistinformation advice centres for the Youth Information Service and Unity Project. YouthInformation Service who are an independent voluntary organisation (whose staff areemployed by the Local Education Authority) have their own mobile provision which isused to access young people in schools and a variety of communities.

26

Youth Centres Open to Young People as at March 2002Open to youngpeople under 5hours per week

Open to youngpeople 5 to 9hours a week

Open to youngpeople 10 – 19hours per week

Open to youngpeople 20-29hours per week

Open to youngpeople more hoursper week

Stat Vol Stat Vol Stat Vol Stat Vol Stat Vol1 1 6 2

At present plans are in process to collect voluntary sector statistics for year 2003/04

Geographically they are situated

M1

M1

West C

oast Main Line R

ailway

E

E

E

E

E

E

E

E

Wolverton Wolverton Wolverton Wolverton Wolverton Wolverton Wolverton Wolverton Wolverton Youth CentreYouth CentreYouth CentreYouth CentreYouth CentreYouth CentreYouth CentreYouth CentreYouth Centre Mathiesen Mathiesen Mathiesen Mathiesen Mathiesen Mathiesen Mathiesen Mathiesen Mathiesen

CentreCentreCentreCentreCentreCentreCentreCentreCentre

Water Eaton Water Eaton Water Eaton Water Eaton Water Eaton Water Eaton Water Eaton Water Eaton Water Eaton Youth ProjectYouth ProjectYouth ProjectYouth ProjectYouth ProjectYouth ProjectYouth ProjectYouth ProjectYouth Project

Bletchley Bletchley Bletchley Bletchley Bletchley Bletchley Bletchley Bletchley Bletchley Youth CentreYouth CentreYouth CentreYouth CentreYouth CentreYouth CentreYouth CentreYouth CentreYouth Centre

Unity Cyber Unity Cyber Unity Cyber Unity Cyber Unity Cyber Unity Cyber Unity Cyber Unity Cyber Unity Cyber CentreCentreCentreCentreCentreCentreCentreCentreCentre

Jonathans Jonathans Jonathans Jonathans Jonathans Jonathans Jonathans Jonathans Jonathans Youth ProjectYouth ProjectYouth ProjectYouth ProjectYouth ProjectYouth ProjectYouth ProjectYouth ProjectYouth Project

Olney Youth CentreOlney Youth CentreOlney Youth CentreOlney Youth CentreOlney Youth CentreOlney Youth CentreOlney Youth CentreOlney Youth CentreOlney Youth Centre

Newport Pagnell Youth ClubNewport Pagnell Youth ClubNewport Pagnell Youth ClubNewport Pagnell Youth ClubNewport Pagnell Youth ClubNewport Pagnell Youth ClubNewport Pagnell Youth ClubNewport Pagnell Youth ClubNewport Pagnell Youth Club

Milton KeynesYouth Centres

27

5. INVOLVING YOUNG PEOPLE

5.1. Participation of young people

Participation of young people is fundamental to our Youth Services. The Youth ForumWorker promotes young people’s active involvement in decision-making and supportsrepresentation on various bodies such as the Local Strategic Partnership and the YouthAdvisory Board (which oversees the Common Plan). Young People are encouraged toget involved through member’s groups, specific time at management committees andsuggestion boxes as well as regular discussion and evaluation with youth workers.Thorough data monitoring and an annual customer satisfaction survey managers havean excellent overview of equality issues, gaps in provision and young people’s ideas fordeveloping the services on offer. Young people’s participation is recognised in a varietyof ways: rewards, certificates and accreditation. Two recent developments have been acompetition to design a Youth Service logo and the development of a strategy to drawtogether and strengthen involvement.

5.2. Young People are involved in

a. recruitment and selection of Youth Workers and other personnelb. representation on Management Committees, Members Committees and Steering

Groupsc. attendance at local Council meetings, Residents Associations, School Councils

and Regeneration Forumsd. planning and evaluation of youth work project programmese. membership of Youth Service Advisory Group and Local Strategic Partnershipf. research into local needsg. annual customer satisfaction survey

5.3. Effective involvement of young people

Effective involvement of young people would not be possible without strong links withthe Connexions Service, the Voluntary Sector and other services for young people. TheYouth Service manages a Half Time Worker for Connexions, who works with youngpeople to ensure that their views shape the service, and a Participation Worker forlooked-after young people. We work closely with charities such as Barnardos, who run aChildren’s Right’s Service, and the Youth Information Service – both these serviceshave also worked with young people to produce exciting new web-sites for the area.Young people have opportunities to get involved on a national and International levelthrough links with, for example, the UK Youth Parliament, the British Youth Council andthe European Union.

5.4 Dedicated resources

for this work include:-one Full Time Youth Worker

28

22 hours Part Time Youth Worker10 hours a week Administration

5.5 a sub group of the Youth Service Advisory Group is being set up to plan andimplement full consultation programme with young people.

29

6. EQUALITY & DIVERSITY

6.1. The Service is committed to equality and social inclusion and has made significantchanges to its work over the past two years to put that into action.

Within the Youth Service we work with Milton Keynes Council’s Equality statement,which says:

“Milton Keynes Council is committed to valuing the diversity of the community it servesand promoting equality of opportunity. One of its key overall objectives is to develop acommunity for all that values and supports everyone in Milton Keynes. The councilbelieves that through valuing diversity we can all benefit from having a vibrantcommunity and workplace.

We will work to ensure fair and equal access to our services by all citizens on the basisof need and to provide services in a manner which is sensitive to the individual,whatever their background.

We will work actively to identify and eradicate any form of institutional discrimination.The council accepts its statutory responsibilities in accordance with the relevantlegislation. This policy applies to equalities in employment practices and the delivery ofquality services.

We are committed to eliminating discrimination on the grounds of gender, disability,race, age, colour, ethnic origin, religious belief, marital status, sexuality, HIV status, andresponsibility for dependants.

We will work actively with our partners and other agencies to ensure that the needs ofour community are represented and through our community leadership role we will actas a model of good equal opportunities practice. The council will consult with thedisadvantaged communities it serves to identify their needs and find ways of meetingthem.

We will work to ensure that our workforce reflects the community it serves. Our staff willbe treated with dignity, respect and valued for their contributions.

It is the responsibility of every employee of the council to uphold and implement thispolicy. Special responsibility falls upon individual managers at all levels to plan andprovide their services to ensure its effectiveness.

The council is committed to making this policy effective and will regularly review andmonitor progress against a programme of action on equalities”.

Issues related to human resources are also dealt with from within Milton Keynes Councilpolices.

30

6.2. The Youth Services Officer has responsibility for leading on equality issues and partof that role is to represent the service on the Learning & Development Equalities groupas well as the Corporate Equalities Group. We are about to set up a Youth ServiceEqualities Group to ensure information is passed out to the Service as well as to ensurethat equalities work is appropriately planned, delivered, monitored and financed. Work iscurrently underway to produce the Youth Service’s own equality policy.

6.3. The Service operates an extensive electronic data monitoring system which givesmanagement monthly information which is used to determine the future direction of theService. In addition to this from time to time, specific research has been commissionedto look at social inclusion issues. ie Milton Keynes Youth Service Racism, RacialAttacks, our Ofsted inspection in 2001 told us that of the young people we worked withat the time only 1.8% were of black or ethnic minority origin, our plans for the opening ofthe Unity Project were well underway at this point, so we analysed our user data todetermine that we now need to prioritise work with African and Caribbean young people.This was able to be taken on as a secondment under the Transforming Youth Workgrant. We now need to make the funding of this post mainstream funding.

6.4. Through the consultation we have undertaken to enable us to put together thecommon plan, we have identified that there is a lack of provision for Somalian youngpeople and that they are not accessing our current provision. This group will nowbecome a priority for our work next year.

6.5. The workforce profile as at April 2002 was as follows:

Female Male White Black Asian DisabledManagement Staff 2 2Full Time Youth Workers 10 12 18 3 1Part Time Youth Workers 44 9 44 5 4Admin Staff 12 11 1

6.6. Throughout this financial year, all staff have undertaken Race Awareness Training.This has involved staff looking at the Race Relations Amendment Act and how thatimpacts on their work. To redress the balance of the Full Time Worker Team there havebeen occasions where we have used positive discrimination procedures whenadvertising for staff. This has directly led to an Asian Full Time Youth Worker beingemployed at the Unity Project all adverts for full time staff are advertised in the Guardianas well as in the appropriate Black or Asian national paper. Part Time Youth Workersare advertised locally and there is only one local paper – however we annually run arecruitment campaign for part time staff on local radio, which results in an open eveningto give candidates information on the Service.

In this financial year we have received a grant to address the Disability DiscriminationAct. This money is being spent on an audit of all Youth Service properties and then willpay for the most imperative needs identified. We also received £6,000 in order to offerthe staff disability awareness training, which will take place in the spring of 2003.

31

We currently deliver two projects for young people with learning difficulties anddisabilities to address the Special Educational Needs at Water Eaton and the MathiesenCentre.

Milton Keynes has a high percentage population of young people and to ensureeffective delivery, work programmes need to be regularly monitored to ensure equalityof opportunity. The largest increase of black and ethnic minority young people will comefrom the growing Somalian community in Milton Keynes.

6.7 All Youth Service buildings are Racial Reporting Centres and youth work staff havereceived appropriate training.

32

7. QUALITY AND STAFF DEVELOPMENT

7.1. Policies

In Milton Keynes there are a number of Policies and Procedures that contribute to aQuality System. These consist of:

• Staff Development Policy incorporating Supervision and Appraisal Systems• Induction Programmes for Full and Part Time Staff• Job Descriptions and Person Specifications• Equalities Policy• Curriculum Policy• Milton Keynes Council Financial Procedures• Health & Safety Policy• Team and Service Plans• Milton Keynes Interagency Procedures to Safeguard and Promote the Welfare of

Children• Unit budget• Data Protection Policy• Visits and Journeys Policy

These policies are reviewed by the Youth Service Management Group.

7.2. Training & Staff Development

The corporate training programmes and the Youth Service training programme, are alloffered to support policies. A policy review group, which monitors and evaluates theappropriateness and effectiveness of policies. Induction, supervision, appraisal and themonitoring and evaluation of Team and Service Plans ensures that they impact on theService delivery.

The Service is in the process of establishing a Quality Framework for its work,incorporating Ofsted, Connexions and National Youth Agency Standards. The YouthInformation Service is in the process of adopting the Community Legal ServiceStandards.

Internal systems adopted to ensure quality include• Session sheets with aims, content and evaluation , based on Ofsted self assessment• Young people involved in the process of evaluating sessions and projects• Management visits with monitoring forms based on Ofsted self assessment• Service/Team plans are monitored quarterly• External project evaluation when appropriate e.g. Youth Information Service review

33

• Negotiations in place to adopt a peer review system across authorities• Young people are represented on the Youth Advisory Group

Good Practice and Quality issues are disseminated to staff through the process ofPerformance Management, Service wide meetings, Good Practice Conferences andthrough Multi Agency Forums.

To ensure quality from the voluntary funded sector certain criteria has to be met forgrant aid, annual monitoring visits and by representation from the service onManagement or Executive Committees.

The Youth Service features in the Best Value Plan in 2005 following an Ofstedinspection in June 2001. Much of the Ofsted action plan has been completed and therest is in the process of being implemented. A successful post Ofsted meeting was heldin December 2002.

As part of Strand A in the Transforming Youth Work fund 2002-2003 a Youth AdvisoryGroup has been established, chaired by our member with Portfolio and comprising ofrepresentatives from relevant agencies and services.

In 2003-04, the development of a more rigorous, reliable and co-ordinated qualityframework is to be adopted with a Quality Assurance Policy and training programme tosupport it's implementation. This framework will include the development of a Peerreview system with a like Authority.

7.3. Staffing

Milton Keynes Council is committed to employing JNC qualified staff to full time postsand to providing training for part time staff to become locally or nationally qualified.Negotiations are in place with De Montfort University and Milton Keynes College todevelop a local part time Diploma in Youth & Community, to meet the needs of part timestaff and the service in terms of lessening recruitment problems.

Young people are becoming more involved in recruitment and selection of appropriatestaff and training is provided for them to ensure they have the skills and knowledge toparticipate effectively.

7.4. Ofsted Action Plan

Following the Ofsted inspection of Milton Keynes Youth Service in 2001, the ServiceManagement Team produced a plan to address the key areas for action.

An updated version of this plan has been included as Appendix 3.

34

8. SIGNIFICANT PRACTICE EXAMPLES FROM THE SERVICE

We have chosen to include two particular examples of good practice.

8.1. Close to Home

is an early intervention project established via consultation with various statutory andvoluntary organisations.

Close to Home currently works within 4 schools in Milton Keynes: -

• Sir Frank Markham Community School, The Radcliffe, Leon School & SportsCollege, the Gatehouse School

• Close to Home also work with the local community within the Lakes Estate, Bletchleyand Radcliffe School, Wolverton and are developing links with local agenciessurrounding Sir Frank Markham School.

The work of Close to Home has expanded to include work with teachers, parents,carers, voluntary and statutory organisations.

These include:-

• Development of community based activities throughout the catchment areas ofthe schools and surrounding areas.

• Development of a varied, educational and social programme which meets theneeds of the local community.

• Development of advice and support structures for the community.• Promotion of community co-operation and effective working partnerships.• Enabling the community to identify local needs and looking at strategies for

meeting those needs.• Supporting the recruitment of volunteers.

Services offered to the schools include:

• Individual support for young people on issues such as Anger Management,Motivation and Self-Esteem.

• Development of group sessions on issues including Self-Esteem, Drug and AlcoholAwareness.

• Supporting and providing training for the Peer Mediation Group.• A Pupil Drop-in-session at lunchtimes at Water Eaton Youth Centre (Leon School &

Sports College) and Oasis Centre (Sir Frank Markham Community School). Thereare plans to extend this provision to The Radcliffe School.

35

• Close to Home are also working with Thames Valley Police, Spotlight on Bletchleystatutory and voluntary organisations to promote good practice throughout MiltonKeynes.

8.2. North Youth Work Team - Post 16 Summer Activity Programme

Over the summer 2002 15 young people took part in a far-reaching programme ofpersonal development. This project took the form of a series of preparation meetings, aweeklong activity and workshop based residential at a registered outdoor educationfacility and a lead out and evaluation process.

We set clear aims and objectives, which were designed to identify participants for theexperience according to, need, our specific focus was for those who have barriers tolearning. By barriers we mean things like personal issues i.e. self-confidence, familyissues i.e. a young carer or through abilities i.e. dyslexia.

Having identified the potential participants a series of pre residential visits were set upto identify individual needs and the groups learning goals, to which a programme wasdeveloped exploring those issues, offering guidance and support empowering the youngpeople to overcome them.

This project took the dedication of three Youth Workers to run the actual programmeand the support and encouragement of a much larger group of professionals. Includedin the support and organising group of the project was Personal Advisors from theConnexions Service, Personal Advisers from the Careers Service, Youth Workers fromthe North Youth Work Team and Closer to Home, outdoor education specialists fromthe Caldecotte Project in Milton Keynes and Longrigg.

Together the team put on a range of opportunities, which challenged physically andmentally the participants. Issue based workshops give time and space for the youngpeople to explore their own barriers to learning, the workers providing through anenabling process the young people to grow in self confidence, self esteem, skills andknowledge to better cope with the life experiences before them.

Overall this project shows the breadth of skills, knowledge and abilities of the team, plusthe professional manner with which we approach our work and the dedication we havein developing work that young people have had a direct opportunity to influence, andthat we work in a way which encourages ,even demands, inter agency interaction.

36

9. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN

9.1.

The Milton Keynes Youth Service plan has been developed with a large number ofstakeholders. The timetable for consultation is shown below.

October 2002 November 2002 December 2002Youth ServiceAdvisory groupAdvisory draft plan

X X

Connexions staff XFull time youth work staff X XPart time youth work staff X XVoluntary sector X XYoung people X

December 2002 January 2003 February 2003 March 2003Youth ServiceAdvisory Group1. approval of draft plan2. approval of final plan

XX

Draft to GOSE X XFull Time Staff Conference XPart Time Staff Conference X XMilton Keynes Council Cabinet XVoluntary sectorDraft planFinal plan

XX

Connexions XYoung people X X

9.2

The Youth Service Plans will be drafted in January/February 2003 and will include allCommon Plan objectives. All projects will deliver project plans in February 2003, whichwill include Common Plan objectives.

These plans will be formally monitored in:-June 2003September 2003December 2003

The Common Plan objectives will be monitored and evaluated against activities, outputsand outcomes by the Youth Service Advisory Group, and will be shared with the localConnexions Management Committee.

37

OBJECTIVE 1 To provide youth work to young people at risk of disaffection and exclusion

Year Activity Measurable output Monitoring Priority ref Stakeholdersconsulted

Lead Officer

2003-4 Establish an equalities policyacross statutory andvoluntary sector.

Promoting Black historymonth

To increase participation ofBlack Minority Ethnic youngpeople in voluntary sector.

Policy adapted andimplemented acrossYouth Service.

a minimum of 4events will take place.

- Worker appointed- - 5% increase in

participation byBlack MinorityEthnic youngpeople.

Group set up byApril 2003.

Planning set upMarch 2003October 2003July 2003March 2004

Race Relations ActAmendments 2000Disability DiscriminationActRace Relations ActAmendments 2000

Race Relations ActAmendments 2000


Voluntary sector.Statutory sector.




Sue Payne

MichaelGreenfield

MichaelGreenfield

MichaelGreenfield

Targeted work with groupsidentified through research

13+ Young Carersgroup established.

Drop-In for youngpeople experiencingmental health issues.

Develop opportunitiesto work with SomalianCommunity

September 2003

Sept 2003

April 2003

Research Report

Research Report


Statutory andvoluntary sector.Youth ServiceAdvisory Group

Young people,statutory andvoluntary sector,young people, YouthService AdvisoryGroup

SomalianCommunity, youngpeople, statutory andvoluntaryYouth ServiceAdvisory Group

Gary Allebone

Hilary Solway

GaryAllebone/TonyMillard

38

OBJECTIVE 2 To extend the range of personal and social development opportunities

Year Activity Measurable output Monitoring Priority ref Stakeholdersconsulted

Lead Officer

2003-4 Develop peer learningopportunities for schools andyouth groups.

Link with healthy schoolsinitiative to deliver educativeprogramme in schools iedrugs, alcohol, sexual healthand citizenship.

Develop curriculum packsonto web site

3 peer projects peryear.

Programme deliveredin all secondaryschools."Hot topic"programmes in allyouth centres

6 curriculum packsavailable to youngpeople via website

Projects set up bySept.

50% by July50% by December

Good practiceevaluated monthlyand promoted viawebsite.

Count number ofhits on website byMarch 2004

Active citizenshipTransforming youthwork.

Drug Action TeamTeenage PregnancyActive Citizenship

Transforming YouthWorkResourcing ExcellentYouth Services.

Statutory ServiceVoluntary ServiceTeenage PregnancyAdvisor.

Statutory YouthServiceVoluntary YouthServiceTeenage PregnancyAdvisorYP DrgEducation

Statutory YouthServiceVoluntary YouthServiceTeenage PregnancyAdvisor

Hilary Solway

Hilary Solway

Gary Allebone

39

OBJECTIVE 3 To promote citizenship, enabling young people to be a positive part of the community.Year Activity Measurable output Monitoring Priority ref Stakeholders

consultedLead Officer

2003-4 Audit of participationopportunities already used bypartners and Youth Service

Gaps identified Transforming YouthWorkActive Citizenship

Statutory YouthService, VoluntaryYouth Service, YouthService AdvisoryGroup

Hilary Solway,Sue Payne

Develop group to plan policyand strategies forinvolvement of young peopleacross L & D in decisionmaking.

Plan developed.Young people awareof rights and involvedin a variety of ways.Young people have aclear involvement rolein all youth projects

Number of youngpeople involved indecision making

UN Rights of the Child Statutory YouthService, VoluntaryYouth Service, YouthService AdvisoryGroup

SeanMcDermott

Training programme tosupport young peoplesinvolvement

Minimum of 3 trainingopportunities offeredper year,

Young peopleable to participatein all relevantopportunities


Hilary Solway

Schools Councils aresupported to further developalong the principles of Article12 United Nations Rights ofthe Child

Young people fullyinvolved in decisionsof school Council level



Young people to be given avoice through Multi Mediavehicles eg website

3 projects per year toidentify young peoplesviews

Number of youngpeople having avoice increasedeg count hits onwebsite


Hilary Solway,SeanMcDermott

Develop Youth ServicePledge

Pledge launched Sept2003

Pledge availableso young peopleknow what theycan expect fromYouth Service



40

OBJECTIVE 4 To implement the standards for youth work and continuously improve the quality of youth work.Year Activity Measurable output Monitoring Priority ref Stakeholders


2003-4 Review use of current YouthService buildings

Carry out review of allYouth Servicebuildings and producestrategy for futureuse.

Review YouthService resources

Resourcing ExcellentYouth Services

Youth ServiceAdvisory Group.Statutory YouthService

Sue Payne

Increase number of youngpeople accessing the ServiceBy 25%

a. Investigate set upgroup to securefunding to purchasemobile facility.

b. To increase daytime delivery through: after school groups: young parents group: school workshops

c. New ManagementInformation Systemsimplemented toensure effectivemonitoring.

d. To set upmonitoring system forsupported voluntarysector.

Increase inoutreach work

Increased delivery

Effectiveinformationavailable

Monitoringinformationavailable fromvoluntary sector.





Youth ServiceAdvisory Group.Youth Service Forum.

Youth ServiceAdvisory Group.Youth OffendingTeam, VoluntarySector, StatutorySector.

Youth ServiceAdvisory Group.Statutory Sector

Youth ServiceAdvisory Group.Voluntary Sector

Sue Payne,Gary Allebone

Sue Payne,Hilary Solway

Sue Payne

Sue Payne

Staff training anddevelopment plan publishedand delivered

a. Race awarenesstraining delivered.

b. young people andmental health.

April 2003 for allyouth work staffand be madeavailable tovoluntary sectorstaff andConnexions.

For all youth workstaff and be madeavailable tovoluntary sectorstaff and

Race RelationsAmendments act 2000Disability DiscriminationAct

SEN act

Youth ServiceAdvisory Group.Statutory Sector.

Youth ServiceAdvisory Group.Voluntary , AndStatutory Sector

Hilary Solway,Kim Fountain.

Hilary Solway

41

c. skill sharingsessions.

Connexions.

For all youth workstaff and be madeavailable tovoluntary sectorstaff andConnexions.


Youth ServiceAdvisory Group.Voluntary , AndStatutory Sector

Hilary Solway.

Service users involved infeedback and future Serviceplanning.

Customer satisfactionsurvey completed.

Young peopleinvolved in all Serviceplanning.

Young peopleviews known.

Young peopleinvolved


UN Convention ofRights of the Child.

Youth ServiceAdvisory Group.Voluntary , andStatutory Sector


Sue Payne

SeanMcDermott

Quality Assurance Systemimplemented

a. Launch of policy toall staff.

Staff to share withyoung people in theirprojects and look formethods to involvethem in qualityassurance.

Staff will have theopportunity tounderstand policy.

Young people willbe involved inquality assurance



Youth ServiceAdvisory Group.

Youth ServiceAdvisory Group.


Hilary Solway,Kim fountain

Voluntary sector clear on theirfuture developments

Voluntary sectorproduce 3 yeardevelopment plan

Voluntary sectorwill agree theirdirection

Transforming YouthWork


Sue Payne

42

OBJECTIVE 5. To provide additional opportunities for young people to extend their learningYear Activity Measurable output Monitoring Priority ref Stakeholders


2003-4 To ensure young peopleaccess accredited trainingopportunities.

Day time “Drop Ins”developed for young peoplenot in education employmentor training.

To signpost youngpeople to relevantaccredited trainingopportunities ieACE/Colleges.Service to offer 2accredited courses toyoung people.

“A” series trainingdeveloped for staff andyoung people.

Monitor how manyyoung peopleaccess training.

20 young peopleachieve accreditedtraining.

All staff have theopportunity toreceive “A” seriestraining,

Connexions.Business Plan.

Connexions.Business Plan.

TransformingYouth Work

Youth Service AdvisoryGroup. Voluntary , andstatutory sectorYouth Service AdvisoryGroup. Voluntary , andstatutory sector

Youth Service AdvisoryGroup. Voluntary , andstatutory sector




Day time “Drop Ins”developed for young peoplenot in education employmentor training.

One NEET Drop Indeveloped in SouthMilton Keynesoperating for 6 hours aweek.

One NEET Drop Indeveloped in northMilton Keynesoperating for 6 hours aweek.

One drop in facility foryoung parentsdeveloped.

10 NEET youngpeople worked with

10 NEET youngpeople worked with.

10 young parentsworked with.

ConnexionsBusiness Plan

Connexions

TeenagePregnancyStrategy

Youth Service AdvisoryGroup. Voluntary , andStatutory SectorConnexions

Youth Service AdvisoryGroup. Voluntary , andStatutory SectorConnexions

Youth Service AdvisoryGroup. Voluntary, andStatutory Sector.connexions

Tony Millard,MichaelGreenfield.

Gary Allebone,MichaelGreenfield.

Tony Millard.

After school projectsdeveloped in conjunction withyouth offending team foryoung people at risk ofinvolvement in crime

a. Research to takeplace re best, times andvenue.

b. 3 after schoolprojects deliveredacross Milton Keynes

3 after schoolprojects open andfall in crime figures

Crime AndCommunity SafetyReport.

Annual YouthOffending TeamReport

Youth Service AdvisoryGroup. Voluntary , andstatuary sector

Youth Offending TeamCrime and CommunitySafety team

Sue Payne,Hilary Solway

Documents

MILTON KEYNES YOUTH SERVICES