Issue - meetings

Review the provision of youth work and outcomes for all young people at county and district levels and outcomes for service users since a decision in 2020 to replace universal youth work with targeted youth work; compare and contrast data from new provision with that of previous provision and seek assurance of the adequacy and impact of current provision.

Witnesses

Cllr Clare Curran, Cabinet Member for Children and Families, Lifelong Learning

Cllr Maureen Attewell, Deputy Cabinet Member Children and Families, Lifelong Learning

Jackie Clementson, Assistant Director – Early Help, Youth Justice & Adolescent Service

Dave McLean, Service Manager – Early Help, Youth Justice & Adolescent Service

Elaina Phillips, Commissioning Officer – Early Help, Youth Justice & Adolescent Service

Judith Brooks, Head of Children & Young People and Deputy CEO - YMCA East Surrey

Stuart Kingsley, Family Services and Youth Work Manager - YMCA East Surrey

Melissa Salisbury, Hale Community Centre Manager

Jo Goodhew, Hale Youth Centre Team Leader

Key points made in the discussion:

1. The Hale Youth Centre Team Leader informed that the centre serves 45-50 young people aged 11-19 in eight sessions a week, providing a safe space in which they can talk to a trusted adult. The building is leased for free from Surrey County Council (SCC) who maintain it. They could not run without volunteers. There are also paid staff employed to secure funding, which comes from National Lottery and Waverley Borough Council. Aside from SCC’s holiday activity camps for those on free school meals, the centre runs term-time only, due to funding rather than staff availability, which can lead to distress in the summer holidays when young people feel deserted.

2. The YMCA Surrey’s Youth Work Manager told the Committee they deliver 20 sessions a week in Reigate and Banstead, with SCC offering a peppercorn rent and paying for utilities. They had secured Safer Streets and National Lottery funding, would not be able to do their work without the building, and report back quarterly to SCC. Recruiting was a barrier.

3. Asked how provision differed from before a reorganisation of youth work four years ago, the Service Manager reassured Members that none of their 27 buildings were being closed or knocked down; the Council was looking to enhance the work of the third sector and not throw them out. A couple of buildings were currently closed for repairs. The Commissioning Officer explained that 14 of the 27 buildings had been leased to interested community organisations or third sector providers. The other 13, described as retained youth centres, had no interested hosts and still sat with SCC; they were fully utilised by police and health partners and managed by a business property support team. Some of the leaseholders had struggled to deliver their contractual terms in the financial landscape, meaning ten of the 14 buildings being leased out were standing empty much of the time, apart from perhaps one or two evenings a week. Meanwhile, SCC paid for the utilities and had statutory services like family centres that needed places to go, but the Service Level Agreements (SLA) meant they were not allowed to use their buildings. Leaseholders were able to generate rental income to invest in support for local families, though in many cases were not doing so.

4. A Member asked the Service how it was collecting information on which of the 14 buildings were working well. The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17