Youth Service

YOUTH SERVICE POST OFSTED ACTION PLAN Introduction

The Youth Service Inspection November 2004 came at a period of change and development for the Service. A new management team were in place, Team Leader posts operationally were starting to have an impact and the externally funded programmes were becoming integrated into everyday activity.

Many plans, policies and procedures, service wide and within the Local Authority, were being updated and reflected the growing role of the Service in the delivery of personal and social development outcomes for young people particularly those at risk of disengagement from mainstream services.

The core business statement for the Service identified 4 areas of work:

- Generic open door work with 13-19 year olds - Support to schools re: alternative accreditation - Transition from school – Post 16 - Post 16 training

The report recognised the strengths of the Service in its traditional generic youth work role and also recognised its developing role within the other areas.

The report graded the Service in 4 areas:

- Standards of young people achievement - Quality of Curriculum Resources - Quality of youth work practice - Strategic and operational leadership and management and gave 6 recommendations:

- Review the Management Structure of the Youth Service - Conduct an analysis of the needs of priority groups across Middlesbrough and develop programmes to meet them - Improve curriculum Leadership and Management - Develop a more effective management information system - Implement quality assurance, supervision and appraisal arrangements consistently - Identify processes to measure cost effectiveness These recommendations are converted into specific actions within the enclosed response and have an implementation timeframe of April 2006.

Links to key strategic and operational plans

The Youth Service is an operational unit of the Community Education section of the newly formed Children, Families and Learning Department of the Council.

The department launched in Jan 2005 in response to the Children’s Act is currently developing its integrated plan, as is the emerging Children and Young Peoples Strategic Partnership Actions highlighted in this report will need to link with the outcomes within Every Child Matters and the developments and priorities within the Children Services Plan.

Every Child Matters Links

In developing these strategies to improve its engagement with young people the service will help young people to:

- Make the choices that develop healthier lifestyles - Achieve personal and social development and enjoy recreation - Engage in decision-making and support the community and environment - Develop self-confidence and successfully deal with significant life changes and challenges - Engage in further education, employment or training on leaving school

The Youth Service is also a key partner in delivering the 14-19 agenda by:

- Extending the Services’ work based learning programme - Working alongside the Connexions Service in identifying and supporting young people who are not in education, employment or training - Delivering accredited personal and social development programmes with young people Monitoring and Evaluation

The actions enclosed in the plan will be updated monthly and informed by team meetings and lead personnel.

The report will be approved by CMT (Corporate Management Team) and will be accountable to them for the actions and improvement. The whole process will also be subject to member scrutiny within the local authorities normal systems.

Evaluation of the process including assessment of the progress will be via a self-assessment process incorporating the Ofsted criteria. The base line will be the self-assessment report completed October 2004 and progress will be highlighted against specific areas for development. RECOMMENDATION 1

Review the Management structure of the Youth Service

EXPECTED OUTCOMES FROM ACTIONS:  Revised job descriptions  Clarity of roles and responsibilities  Clarity of relationship of youth work and building management  Recognition of impact of externally funded projects and their integration within the Service  Clarity of operational management roles

Action Required Date Responsible Milestones Completed Officer 1.1 Appoint to vacant June 2005 Jackie Lodge  Revise Job Description Operations Manager post Youth Service – March Manager  Vacancy Panel  Recruit for June 05 1.2 Appoint consultants to August 2005 Jackie lodge  Invite quotes – April 05 review management Youth Service  Appoint preferred team structure Manager – May 05  Consider options – August 05  Consult on preferred option with partners  Seek local authority approval  Implement preferred option September 05 RECOMMENDATION 2

Conduct an analysis of the needs of priority groups across Middlesbrough and develop programmes to meet them

EXPECTED OUTCOMES FROM ACTION:  An identification of priority groups  Targeted programmes to meet the needs of those groups  A systematic needs analysis with partner agencies to inform changing needs  Involvement of young people  Systematic monitoring of race equality policies

Action Required Date Responsible Milestones Completed Officer 2.1 Reflect the national priorities March 2006 Jackie Lodge Youth Identify working groups to groups of young people Service Manager inform needs within planning processes August 05  Children looked after  Children with special Audit current service educational needs and provision for 4 groups disabilities (including Vol.Sector)  Teenage pregnancy December 05  Young people at risk of becoming NEET 2.2 Build a profile map of all 13- March 2006 Data Management 19 year olds in area Team 2.3 Utilise ’04 user survey to July 2005 Sarah Farndale inform baseline information

2.4 Agree our target groups March 2006 Jackie Lodge locally eg BME and under performing white males 2.5 Monitor plans according to March 2006 Jackie Lodge Update corporate diversity corporate cycle with respect tool kit September 2005 to race, disability, age, gender etc 2.6 Establish level of resource to March 2006 Jackie Lodge work with target groups 2.7 Establish service focus March 2006 Operations Manager groups to inform planning process utilising needs analysis information  Which groups  What programmes  Training needs RECOMMENDATION 3 Improve curriculum Leadership and Management

EXPECTED OUTCOMES FROM ACTIONS  Clarification of roles and responsibilities with respect to curriculum  An improved focus on the delivery of the curriculum priorities – Crime, Health, Citizenship and Cultural Diversity  Better utilisation of all systems to inform the quality of curriculum delivery  Staff team more able to deliver curriculum priorities  A standardised recording mechanism for curriculum accountability  Continue to expand mechanism of involving young people in priorities around the curriculum including young peoples evaluation and monitoring

Action Required Date Responsible Milestones Completed Officer 3.1 Be informed by management August 05 Jackie Lodge, Youth Implement review review with respect to Service Manager Preferred options curriculum roles and September 05 responsibilities 3.2 Deliver curriculum training March 06 Dave Morris, February 05 for all staff Development Officer Training calendar launched 3.3 Understanding of curriculum September 05 Dave Morris by key staff (managers) Development Officer 3.4 Review young peoples August 05 Operations Manager evaluation processes RECOMMENDATION 4 Develop a more effective management information system

EXPECTED OUTCOMES FOR ACTION  Adoption of one software system  Quarterly out-turns to inform planning  ½ yearly capture of benchmark indicators  A more refined system of targeting work and resource

Action Required Date Responsible Milestones Completed Officer 4.1 Review evaluation and August 05 Operations manager monitoring processes (paper – based) 4.2 Implement Youth Base May 05 Jackie Lodge, Youth March 05 software across all Service Manager System checked on 6 sites networked sites 4.3 Have all sites networked March 06 Jackie Lodge, Youth Service Manager 4.4 Compare youth Base and March 06 SMT June 05 both systems Maytas system with view to running having one system across September 05 Test out- the Service turn data 4.5 Implement preferred system September 05 Jackie Lodge - Implement Software across appropriate sites - Train staff RECOMMENDATION 5 Implement quality assurance, supervision and appraisal arrangements consistently

EXPECTED OUTCOMES  The adoption of an effective quality assurance framework  Full implemented supervision and appraisal arrangements

Action Required Date Responsible Milestones Completed Officer 5.1 Utilise Youth Service March 06 Development Officer 04/05 YSQM pilot process Quality Mark process consultation

May 05 ‘Test out’ areas of YSQM

August 05 Utilise final draft for Service Quality framework 5.2 Adoption of corporate March 06 Youth Service Supervision and Appraisal supervision and appraisal Manager guidance produced arrangements March 05

Staff appraisals held within prescribed calendar May 05 5.3 Service review February 05 Development Officer - Inform planning process 05/06 - 6 month review October 05 5.4 All substantial staff to have June 05 All staff via Youth - Appraisal meetings action points relating to Service Manager May 05 service outcomes - Action points relating to targets June 05

5.5 Explore local (Tees Valley) August 05 Jackie Lodge - moderation of quality Youth Service processes Manager 5.6 Purchase external quality December Jackie Lodge review consultancy 05 RECOMMENDATION 6

Identify processes to measure cost effectiveness

EXPECTED OUTCOMES FROM ACTION:  Unit costs for delivery of varying programmes  Unit costs for benchmark indicators  Process of comparison of indicators tracked

Action Required Date Responsible Milestones Completed Officer 6.1 Establish unit costs for March 06 Jackie Lodge Open door youth club visit, Youth Service residential, e2e programme, Manager exchange 6.2 Establish unit costs for 4 March 06 Jackie Lodge bench mark indicators Youth Service contact, participant, manager recorded outcome and accredited outcome 6.3 Compare performance March 06 Jackie Lodge nationally and locally Youth Service utilising Ofsted and NYA Manager information