Youth Matters
Youth Matters applies the Every Child Matters (ECM) principles to young people from ages 13-19 (or 25 in the case of young people with disabilities). It outlines steps to ensure achievement of the ECM five outcomes by young people and reducing the gap between the most disadvantaged and others. It places a duty on children’s trusts to oversee and/or deliver its main provisions which include: Things to do and places to go: statutory duty & national guidance for providing positive activities; Youth Opportunity Fund (YOF) and Youth Capital Fund (YCF) Young people as citizens: making a positive contribution: active citizenship & community engagement by young people; peer mentoring schemes in schools & with looked after children; expansion of youth volunteering (v); and the implementation of the Respect Action Plan – measures to support engagement in activities & communities Supporting choices: information, advice & guidance (IAG); a new set of quality standards for workers who deliver IAG; devolvement of responsibility for IAG commissioning & funding from Connexions Partnerships to local authorities (via Local Area Agreements) through children’s trusts, schools & colleges; and support to parents in getting the right information to help All young people achieving: reforming targeted support: 14 Pathfinder projects are underway (2006-08) testing out redesigned (integrated) targeted support services for young people – including earlier intervention with ‘at risk’ children & families; creation of the ‘lead professional’ and ‘fund holding lead professional’ roles
Youth Matters is being delivered through regional change programmes aimed at implementing the national policy, which are overseen, coordinated and managed by the nine regional Government Offices’ Children, Young People and Families' Directorates. The Government Offices work with local and other regional partners to implement both Youth Matters and ECM across the country’s nine regions. At a local (council) level, Integrated Youth Support Services (IYSS) and Targeted Youth Support Services (TYSS) must be in place under Children’s Trusts across the country (the deadline for this was April 2008). ‘Integrated youth support’ is a ‘universal’ entitlement in service provision for all young people; while ‘targeted youth support’ is offered to young people with additional support needs, for example, young people leaving care, teen parents or young people with disabilities. The voluntary youth sector is expected to be a key partner and delivery agent of this service. Useful Links
For more information on Youth Matters and other government policies and strategice concerning young people >> ECM - Youth Matters Key publications to look for:
Youth Matters: Green Paper (or Summary) published in July 2005
Youth Matters: Next Steps published in March 2006 All publications are free and available from the DCSF publications webpage. They can also be ordered by phone via Orderline: 0845 6022260. |