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1. Introduction
Our Vision for Youth Work and Year of Action
'The challenge is on to create a Youth Work Strategy fit for the 21st century which gives youth work the recognition and value it deserves'
Voluntary Organisation Response
1.1 Youth work has a significant role to play in delivering our broad vision for Scotland's young people - that they are nurtured, safe, active, healthy, achieving, included, respected and responsible. Youth work opportunities can also support young people to live their lives as confident individuals, effective contributors, successful learners and responsible citizens.
1.2 We believe that all young people can be like this. But we also recognise that young people are individuals with different needs, abilities and learning preferences. Youth work opportunities can enhance the life of any young person but, for some, youth work will have a more important or even critical role in enabling them to see and fulfil their true potential.
1.3 Youth work has a major part to play in providing life-enhancing experiences for children and young people - and the learning and development opportunities it offers must be seen and valued as an integral part of what society provides for young people across the board - children's services, school education, post-school education and training.
1.4 We recognise the value of youth work in contributing positively to young people's personal growth and to the growth of the communities they live in. We recognise the value of both:
- open access youth work activities, open to any young person who wishes to attend, offered by local authorities and voluntary organisations; and
- specialised targeted provision designed to meet the needs of young people who are particularly vulnerable or who have specific needs.
1.5 A vibrant youth work sector needs both. As well as enhancing the lives of young people from all backgrounds, universal youth work opportunities can have an early intervention and prevention role. It can engage in positive activities young people who might otherwise become involved in anti-social behaviour, alcohol or drug misuse, or who would leave school with few qualifications and skills, perhaps not progressing into education, employment or training (entering the ' NEET' group). Universal youth work opportunities can also offer vulnerable young people a non-stigmatising route into finding more specialist support where they might not be ready to go directly, e.g. to a project for young people with specific problems e.g. mental health issues.
1.6 Our aim is to build on the already considerable strength of the youth work sector to ensure provision for young people that is forward-looking, well-resourced and supported effectively - and that focuses all its efforts on delivering the best possible outcomes for young people in Scotland. We intend to support growth in the youth work sector through a variety of means - more opportunities and influence for young people, more youth workers and volunteers, commitment to ongoing training and development of youth workers and volunteers, better targeted resources, more access to good facilities and better support for the sector both nationally and locally.
1.7 Our long term vision for youth work has two main elements:
- for young people in Scotland able to benefit from youth work opportunities which make a real difference to their lives; and
- a youth work sector equipped and empowered to achieve ongoing positive outcomes for young people now and in the future.
To achieve this we need to think both short and long term. We have welcomed and listened to what you told us in the consultation. We have used what you told us to develop the outcomes we need to deliver to achieve the vision. And we have set out a range of actions to support the youth work sector in meeting the needs of young people today. Some of these involve early action to boost the sector in the coming year. With others, particularly where we need to build the capacity and expertise of youth work, we are proposing longer term commitments.
The Consultation, the Strategy and Beyond
1.8 The Youth Work Strategy consultation ran from 1 August to 1 November. 15,000 copies of the consultation paper were sent out with an online version also available. 15,000 copies of the full questionnaire were issued with 19,000 copies of the shorter questionnaire specifically for young people.
1.9 We issued the consultation paper widely, including to all schools and voluntary organisations working with young people. We also supported the following organisations to support specific consultation activities with key groups of people:
- YouthLink - the youth work sector generally, both voluntary organisations and local authority community learning and development teams;
- The Scottish Youth Parliament - large numbers of young people through their MSYP network;
- Young Scot - large numbers of young people online, using their eRoadshow and Youth Information Points;
- Youth Scotland - volunteers involved in youth work;
- YMCA - young people living in rural areas;
- BEMIS - black and minority ethnic young people;
- Save the Children - young people from gypsy and traveller communities;
- LGBT Youth Scotland - lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people;
- Scottish Throughcare and Aftercare Forum - young people who are, or have been looked after;
- ENABLE Scotland - young people with disabilities; and
- The Big Step - young asylum seekers.
3,091 responses were received and analysed. Of these over 2,500 were from young people. The consultation responses have given us an invaluable snapshot of views from young people and the people who work to provide youth opportunities for them. The consultation report is available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/Young-People/YouthWork/Consultation.
1.10 The key message that comes across in all the responses is a real sense of the value of youth work, belief in its potential to make a difference to young people's lives and a commitment to building on the real strengths we have in youth work in Scotland to give young people more and better opportunities and to make sure that the organisations have the support necessary to deliver the best possible outcomes for young people in the future.
The Strategy
1.11 This strategy sets out our vision for youth work based on delivering positive outcomes for young people. This must be the high level aim of all that we do and we must do what is necessary to achieve it. This may mean changes in how we, in government, and in the youth work sector, work and approach the challenges we face. We must accept that the young people we work with are interested in what is relevant in the 21st century and we must adopt the same mindset. Challenges for all of us include modernising our thinking and our working practices to be meaningful to young people, making sure we evaluate and measure where appropriate and that we know the outcomes we want to achieve.
1.12 In setting out how we will take forward the strategy our focus is on outcomes and on commitment to specific actions which will lead to both quick wins and steady progress. Getting to where we want to be will take time and progress will be cumulative.
A Year of Action on Youth Work
1.13 To kick-start the delivery of the strategy however, we are proposing a Year of Action on youth work. We will work with the sector to put in place some key supportive measures and target some additional funding at areas of key importance. It will be a year where together we make changes and commitments to boost the standing of youth work in Scotland, enhance its role and build on all it's current strengths. A year where we work with national organisations, the voluntary sector and those delivering community learning and development services in local authorities. A year when we build capacity in the sector and make sure volunteers have the support and training they need. Together we must make sure that young people have access to the opportunities which make most difference to their own development. And which allow young people to flourish in their own communities, able to influence the nature and design of local services and strategies which affect them.
1.14 Some of the actions proposed are for the Scottish Executive. Others will be achieved through working with partner organisations. Some are short term and others are intended to be more long term to ensure the youth work sector is ready and able to make a lasting impact on the lives and future of young people for many years to come.
A Report back on Progress
1.15 We know that young people in particular are concerned that the views and ideas they offer during consultations may not lead to action and that they don't receive enough feedback. We will therefore report back in the autumn of 2008 on the outcomes we set out in this strategy and on progress we've made in taking forward the support needed to achieve them.
1.16 We recognise that some commitments are to begin discussions or to get the ball rolling on important strategic issues such as a specific career structure for youth workers and support for volunteers. We need to put more thought, engagement and specialist discussion into these areas with partners and experts in the field so it would not be appropriate to make long term decisions at this stage. But after a year we would expect to be able to set out longer term direction and proposals on these important areas.
1.17 After the election, the new administration will consider the Spending Review plans which are due in September 2007. This should cover the full new parliamentary session to 2011. At that stage, we plan to set out youth work spending commitments in the context of wider Executive strategic priorities.
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