Agenda item

To receive an update on the delivery of positive youth activities to young people living in Redditch.

(Report attached)

The Committee considered an update on the Redditch Consortia Positive Activities Programme. Officers reported that they were now in possession of detailed attendance statistics for the first two quarters of 2013/14. It was considered that the programme was enjoying relative success with numbers of attendees remaining quite consistent, although there was considerable variation in numbers of attendees at different sessions.

Officers reminded the Committee that the Third Sector had been given the scope to determine the nature of the sessions as they saw fit. One session in particular, the boxing session, had been particularly popular and around a dozen young people had become involved in the Boxing Club itself as a result. A number of young people had also become actively involved in a voluntary capacity with Leisure Services and were helping out at events such as the forthcoming Charity Santa Dash.

One aspect which had not worked so well to date was the audit of the various groups by local County Councillors and the Younger People’s Forum. This had been delayed in part by the significant changes in Council membership at the elections. Officers understood that local County Councillors had now been apprised of the situation and were to commence visits to groups shortly.

Concern was expressed about several of the groups, but primarily that at Oakenshaw, that the activities on offer were essentially those which had previously been provided and which had in the past failed to attract young people. The use of a fixed base and the choice of a Friday night were thought to militate against the success of the venture. It was suggested that outreach work might be more successful at locations such as Morton Stanley Park or The Pleck and Officers were asked whether discussions could be held with the County Council over delivering youth provision in a different way. A further specific concern was around the gender imbalance at Astwood Bank and the measures which were being taken to address this.

Officers explained that the specification of the projects was very prescriptive which reduced the ability for the Borough Council to effect change directly. It was suggested that the County Council would take account of evidence from interested parties and the young people themselves should it be directed at improving the service. Officers also stressed that an aim of the programme was to prevent young people from becoming NEETs (Not in Education, Employment or Training) and getting involved in anti-social behaviour. To that extent, the focus was as much about reaching the right children as about reaching a particular number of children. The County Council was to provide data during the next quarter and beyond which would give a much clearer picture as to whether this aim was being achieved. It was suggested that the Committee be provided with this data early in the next financial year.

RESOLVED that

1)        the report be noted;

2)        Paul Finnemore from Worcestershire County Council be invited to the meeting of the Committee in June 2014 at which point the final two quarters of detailed attendance data for 2013/14 might be considered;

3)        Officers raise a number of issues with Paul Finnemore in the coming weeks including youth provision in Headless Cross, Oakenshaw and Webheath, the possibility of outreach work rather than work from a fixed base and measures to improve the gender balance at Youth Clubs; and

4)        Officers provide further details of the Primrose Hospice Santa Dash and Santa Cycle to the Mayor and Deputy Mayor following the meeting.