SCRUTINY REMIT:
Youth Connexions Topic Group
OBJECTIVE:To establish the progress that has been made to establish the integrated youth support service ‘Youth Connexions Hertfordshire’ during the three years since it was set up through merging the resources of the Hertfordshire County Council Youth Service and Connexions Hertfordshire in April 2008. This will take place in recognition that the service was subsequently integrated into a broader structure ‘Services for Young People’ in 2010.
QUESTIONS TO BE ADDRESSED :
Building on the report from the scrutiny that was completed in February 2010:
o As the integrated youth support service has developed, is the young people’s access to the ‘Youth Offer’, particularly those that are less likely to achieve their potential, still improving?
o Has the improvement in the responsiveness of the service to provide, with partner organisations, a more varied and targeted range of positive activities for young people across Hertfordshire been sustained?
o Do young people continue to view the range and appropriateness of information, activities and support that Youth Connexions Hertfordshire highly?
o What challenges exist for integrated youth support in the future and how are these being addressed?
OUTCOME :
Members are content that Youth Connexions Hertfordshire made the progress in improving young people’s access to the ‘Youth Offer’ in line with the previous Government’s integrated youth support service strategy.
CONSTRAINTS :
The scrutiny will only cover Youth Connexions’ contribution to the county’s 14 – 19 learning structures and not the 14 -19 arrangements in existience.
Additionally this exercise will not be scrutinising District Children’s Trust Partnerships.
Council for the Future and the in year reduction of the Area Based Grant has had an impact on the services delivered by Youth Connexions. Furthermore Youth Connexions has been integrated into the broader Services for Young People group. The outcome of this has meant that not all the original activities that were planned have taken place to the extent that was originally envisaged.
EVIDENCE & WITNESSES:
Young People
Services for Young People Personal Advisers and Youth Workers
Services for Young People Managers
District Council Representatives
Voluntary and Community sector representatives
Education and training representatives
(see programme for details)
METHOD: Topic Group DATE: Friday 13 May 2011
MEMBERSHIP :
G R Churchard (Chairman), T J Price (Vice-Chairman), P A Ruffles, J W A Usher,
D Andrews, R F Cheswright, N Betteley (parent-governor representative)
SUPPORT :
Scrutiny Officer: Tom Hawkyard
Lead Officer: Simon Gentry
Democratic Services Officer: Emma Lund
HCC Priorities for Action : -how this item helps deliver the Priorities
1. Support economic well being
2. Maximise independent living
3. Ensure a positive childhood
4. Secure a good education for all
5. Be a leading council
CfP’S OBJECTIVES :
1. Provides a critical friend challenge to executive policy makers and decision makers
2. Enables the voice and concerns of the public to be heard
3. Is carried out by independent governors who lead and own the scrutiny role
4. Drives improvement in public services
3