Following requests from members, NCVYS will continue to provide information updates about the latest situation and discussions regarding regulation and registration of both paid staff and volunteers in the young people's workforce.

Latest situation - August 2010

Licence to practise - regulation 

NCVYS has continued to lobby successfully against the introduction of a licence to practise for the youth work sector. The coalition government announced within Skills for Sustainable Growth (Published by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills, July 2010, Page 24, para 62)

'We have no plans to introduce statutory industry levies, or specific occupational licences to practise'.  

Voluntary Registration scheme for professionally qualified youth workers

The National Youth Agency (NYA) has completed the feasibility study in to the idea of a voluntary registration scheme for professionally qualified youth workers.  The NYA has reported positive results but stated ‘Given the exacerbation of financial constraints across the youth work landscape since the initial work for this initiative, proposals for a launch in January 2011 have been deferred'.  The NYA has also taken the decision that more work is needed before producing a plan for development and implementation of any initial phases of such a scheme. Therefore, no scheme is currently in development.

NCVYS's position statement

The following has been taken from NCVYS's paper on regulation and registration to LLUK published in August 2008:

'NCVYS believes that regulation continues to be the biggest threat to the work of the voluntary and community youth sector (VCYS) and the services that it delivers to young people. Regulation and licensing may counteract government's efforts to increase the level of volunteering, involve communities in the design and delivery of services, and as a result, lead to a demise of valuable opportunities for young people provided by the VCYS'.

If you would like to receive copies of further papers and case studies then please contact Nichola Brown, Workforce Development Officer.

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