The Youth Engagement and Progression Framework (YEPF) aims to reduce the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET). The Framework has six components, proven to be effective at increasing youth engagement and progression when implemented together as part of a strategy. These are: early identification, better brokerage and coordination of support; stronger tracking and transition of young people; ensuring provision meets the needs of young people; a focus on employability skills and opportunities for employment among young people; and greater accountability. Local authorities (LAs) have been charged with the role of leading implementation of the Framework, working closely with Careers Wales, youth services, schools, training providers to those aged 16 and over and other partners.  

The evaluation aimed to assess progress made to implement the Framework and the effectiveness of implementation processes with a view to considering whether the non-statutory guidance is sufficient to achieve the Welsh Government’s ambitions and targets and identifying learning to improve guidance and implementation. 

This document is in support of the Youth engagement and progression framework. This document provides initial guidance to local authorities and key partners regarding the Youth Guarantee and the key processes that need to be put in place to ensure young people remain engaged in education, employment or training. The document will be informed by pilot activity and will be finalised in autumn 2014 before the Youth Guarantee is implemented across Wales.

In the Youth Engagement and Progression Framework Implementation Plan we commit to introducing a guarantee to a place in education or training for young people leaving compulsory education for the first time. Our Youth Guarantee is the “offer, acceptance and commencement of a suitable place in education or training for a young person making the first time transition from compulsory education at age 16.”

The Youth Guarantee is being piloted in the North and West regions of Wales from November 2013 to October 2014. It is planned that the Youth Guarantee will be rolled out across Wales from November 2014 to October 2015. This means that the first young people will take up their offers under the Guarantee in September and October 2015.

Background to the youth work career pack produced for the Welsh Assembly Government by the Council for Wales of Voluntary Services (CWVYS) and Promo Cymru as part of the 'Thanks Sam' campaign.

Includes details of contributors and list of contents.

 

Youth work career pack produced for the Welsh Assembly Government by the Council for Wales of Voluntary Services (CWVYS) and Promo Cymru. 

Part 3 contains more detailed background information for youth workers and other professionals, and for young people. This includes information on volunteering, training routes, accreditation, careers, organisations that can help and additional information that a young person might need to help make a decision about whether or not to take up youth work and which career path to take.

Youth work career pack produced for the Welsh Assembly Government by the Council for Wales of Voluntary Services (CWVYS) and Promo Cymru. 

The Appendices provide summary versions of the Youth Work Curriculum Statement for Wales, and the Youth Work National Occupational Standards, useful contacts and more information on training, pay scales and organisations engaged in training and workforce development. Information on awards for young people and references are also contained in the appendices.

Section 28 of the Local Government Act (1988) was a piece of legislation which was implemented by the Conservative-led Government to prevent the promotion of homosexuality as a pretend family unit. This study set out to explore whether Section 28 impacted on Youth Work with young people, whilst exploring whether this legislation impacted on the practice of youth workers and their youth work colleagues. There has been a huge amount of research and literature into how Section 28 impacted on the Education Services, with little or no research undertaken from a Youth Work perspective.

This short paper explores a number of issues related to the Youth Service in Wales - squeeze, capacity, drift, managerialism, organisational learning, leadership, vision and ultimately organisational resilience.

Guidance on integrating Partnerships and Plans.

The Welsh Government considers that a single integrated plan should be used to meet the statutory duties in relation to the development of plans and strategies required under the following legislation:

• Local Government (Wales) Measure 2009 (Part 2: Ss 37-46) – Community strategies;
• Children Act 2004 (Part 3: S26) – Children and Young People’s Plan (which include plans required in accordance with section 2 of the Children and Families (Wales) Measure 2010 and Part 1 of the Mental Health (Wales) Measure 2010);
• National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006 (Part 3: S40) – Health, Social Care and Well-being Strategies; and
• Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (Part 1: S6) – Strategies for the reduction of crime and disorder, strategies for combating the misuse of drugs, alcohol and other substances, and strategies for the reduction of re-offending.
• Children & Families (Wales) Measure 2010 sections 11 & 12 – the duties in respect of local authorities to assess for sufficient play opportunities and to promote and facilitate participation by children in decisions of the authority which might affect them, and to publish and keep up to date information about its arrangements.

The Welsh Government is seeking views on new proposals to support the development of a new National Youth Work Strategy.

Start of consultation: 18/06/2013
End of consultation: 16/09/2013

The Welsh Government committed in the Programme for Government to update the National Youth Service Strategy. The outcomes of this consultation will be used to inform a new National Youth Work Strategy for Wales to be published during the Autumn 2013.

BA dissertation which examines if the drive towards interprofessional practice and the creation of the 2020 Children and Young People’s Workforce Strategy (DCSF, 2008) provide a case for European Social Pedagogy and its practices to be introduced into the landscape of working with children and young people in Wales?