Community Youth Officer, Jan Bowra, will be in attendance to deliver a presentation on the new community-led model and positive activities for young people, and to answer any questions.
Minutes:
Jan Bowra, Community Youth Officer (CYO) for Marlborough Community Area, was in attendance to introduce the item. Previously she had been the youth co-ordinator in St. Margret’s Mead Youth Centre. Her new role was described as the go-to person for young people or anyone with issues to do with young people.
Siobainn Chaplin from Early Intervention, Youth and Prevention, was introduced.
The youth service was said to have changed and importance was placed upon ensuring that young people were supported. It was stated that young people needed to be at the heart of decisions. The aim was to engage young people in positive activities during their spare time. Many young people were said to not be aware of what was going on in their community, and getting the information to them was stated as key in making them come along.
The LYN management was said to be made up of adults in the community area with an interest in working with young people and would look at youth grants. The LYN was stated as being a sub-group of the Area Board, which would come together at events, workshops, meetings, and consultations. It would encourage the active engagement, improved partnership, and working with key stakeholders and young people.
Those interested or who wished to know more were encouraged to get in contact with Jan Bowra.
Andrew Jack, Community Area Manager for Marlborough community area, was introduced to describe the process of youth activity grants and the role of the LYN.
It was heard that the Area Board had additional funding to pay for youth activities, which was split into two streams: grant schemes and procurement. The grant scheme was stated as being available to fund projects in the voluntary and community sector (for example, football clubs), and was accessible through a straightforward application on the Wiltshire Council website. Once the form had been completed it was said to go through an appraisal process which included being looked at by the LYN, who would decide if it met community needs and fit within the area and strategic plan.
Procurement was said to be available so that the Area Board, through the LYN, could spot a gap in activities and contact someone in order to provide it. A catalogue of safe providers was said to be available.
The criteria for grants was displayed, they were stated to be up to £5000 per project. It was explained that the correct procedures, for example a safeguarding policy, needed to be in place to ensure the safety of young people. The application also must meet the needs, priorities, and objectives of positive activities in the area. Young people also needed to be involved in the development of the project.
Questions were asked on how often someone was able to return for funding. It was explained that usually applicants were limited to two applications per year for different projects, but that it may depend on how much they were applying for.
It was asked what would happen to all the equipment left at the Youth Centre and who it belonged to. It was heard the equipment is ring fenced for the use of young people, which the Area Board was responsible for, and that it was up to the Area Board to decide what to do with it.
Concerns were raised over the level of bureaucracy in providing youth activities. It was heard that what needed to be ensured was that people connected and shared ideas and solutions, instead of everyone working in isolation with individual ideas.
Siobiann Chaplin informed those present that there would be a review on the progress made in 6 months. She also requested that those with an interest in the youth centre and the equipment contact Jan Bowra.
Clarification was sought on the amount of money available for all youth groups. It was explained that for the remainder of the financial year Marlborough community area had £14,208 available. For the next financial year there was stated to be around £24,500. It was noted that this is not just for existing youth groups, but anyone who wished to come forward.
Jan Bowra stated that the model was a new one, and would therefore experience problems getting it right. It was stated that as long as young people were at the heart of the plan, that it would be alright.
It was asked when the proposed start-up date would be. The start date for the LYN was heard as being the 4 December 2014, so long as there were interested young people present at the meeting. The priority was heard to be starting the LYN management group, in order to ensure that money could be spent.
Thanks were expressed to those who had been involved, and people were urged to come back to the next Area Board to better understand the way forward.