Young adult issue working group: A young adult lens on PFY

1. Young adult issue working group:A young adult lens on PFY

2. Why are we here today? PFY: A young adult lens (Improving young people’s lives through youth work)

3. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION’S ‘PRIORITIES FOR YOUTH’ CONSULTATION 2012: A positive approach? • p.ii greater emphasis on the needs of disadvantaged young people • p.1 every young person achieving to his or her full potential at each stage of his or her development • support....to reach their potential as valued individuals and responsible citizens • p.2 develop a range of skills and attributes...to improve their life outcomes....and contributors to their community and the economy

4. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION’S ‘PRIORITIES FOR YOUTH’ CONSULTATION 2012: • p.6 ...preparing young people for employment and life • p. 7 helping to deliver on all (wider g’ment) policies aimed at improving the life chances of young people • p.10 good quality youth work achieving a range of education and wider social aims • p.15 the needs of the young person should be they key focus at each stage of development

5. P.15 ...helping young people to transition effectively into adulthood • P. 25 every opportunity should be given to young people to participate in all aspects of the youth service, and in a range of different ways

6. So looking good?

7. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION’S ‘PRIORITIES FOR YOUTH’ CONSULTATION 2012: • “the capacity of the sector to deal with such a wide age range given the budget constraints.” (p.9) • “there will be four distinct age bands for ESA funded youth work, 4-8, 9-13, 14-18 and 19-21. • Services for young adults in the age range 22-25 will only be considered where there is compelling evidenced need for youth work interventions for this age range.” (p.18)

8. p.17 youth work goes nine years beyond the compulsory school age • Given the pressure on the education budget...the current age range is too broad to provide a consistent level of services • p.19 the focus for the older age range of 19-21 will be either issue based programmes or volunteering and leadership opportunities

9. Making a case making the case for the continued and enhanced delivery of dedicated youth work provision for 16-25 year olds, both at a universal and targeted level. Data collection: • Appoint researcher from University of Ulster • 65 young adult responses to survey monkey questionnaire including qualitative feedback • Over 500 young people feeding in through ‘Let’s Talk’ dialogue events • 15-18 youth organisations responded via Young Adult Advisory Group

10. The summary paper

11. Already noted: Executive Summaries {Haydon & McAlister, May 2009}, (page 6) note: • Youth provision needs to cater more for the needs of older teenagers and young adults.

12. Already noted: ‘Curricula Review Group’ (16 – 25year olds) identified core principles as core elements of the work with 16-25yr olds: • diverse group who require a range of services to meet their needs from the highly specialist to inclusion in the mainstream. • benefit from a commitment to a programme which lasts long enough to allow them to develop their capacity and to identify an exit strategy. • benefit from programmes with outcomes with which they can easily identify (pathway to employment and personal and social development).

13. Youth Transitions: • critical moments • potentially stressful • more counselling • greater educational awareness and learning on emotional and mental health • more information on who and where to go to get emotional support.

14. Our paper documents: • Youth work with young people aged 16 years plus has a significant role to play in the realisation of the vision and goals within these strategy documents and action plans • Youth work is well placed to address health issues with young people, helping them to make informed choices in relation to their physical and mental health, providing emotional support, signposting and acting as an advocate.

15. Our paper documents: • There is significant evidence that youth work has a positive impact on affective constructs such as self esteem and self confidence. • The case for 16-25 youth work provision, however, is obviously strengthened by the evidence that shows how such dispositional changes are translated into tangible and practical outcomes in terms of education, employment, income, housing, community participation, health and well being.

16. It is important that youth work for 16-25 year olds is not diminished in any way. The value of a service is sometimes recognised most acutely when it is gone. Evidence suggests that it should indeed be expanded. (Young Adult Paper, 2012, Mc Grellis & Mc Mullan)

17. Action 1 Young Adult Advisory Group – a Collective response • As reflected in the DE Priorities for Youth Work we believe that: Equality and inclusion should be fundamental to planning and implementation and the values of equity, diversity and interdependence should be at the heart of youth work; (p.14) Equality, inclusion and rights are the cornerstones of an education system which enables every learner to fulfil their potential (p.15) Collective letter to committee, DE and Minister

18. Action 2 Young Adult Advisory Group – an individual response • The evidence of practice demonstrates not only ‘what’ youth work contributes, but ‘why’ these programmes and activities are important. • As many young people have cited “I wouldn’t be here”.

19. Action 3 “Let’s Talk Let’s Act: Priorities For Youth –A young adult perspective” Monday 12th November @ 11.30am YouthAction NI , 14 College Square North, Belfast