AGENDA ITEM

AREA COMMITTEE: , SUNDON, , ICKNIELD & NORTHWELL

DATE: 21st SEPTEMBER 2005

SUBJECT: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT & YOUTH

REPORT BY: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SERVICE MANAGER

CONTACT OFFICERS: SHAMSUZ ZAMAN 493371

IMPLICATIONS:

LEGAL COMMUNITY SAFETY

EQUALITIES ENVIRONMENT

FINANCIAL CONSULTATIONS

STAFFING OTHER

WARDS AFFECTED: BRAMINGHAM, SUNDON, ICKNIELD, LIMBURY & NORTHWELL

PURPOSE

1. Progress up-date of Community Development Service and Youth Service initiatives and projects impacting in the area.

BACKGROUND

2. Areas of responsibility:- a. Shamsuz Zaman – Area Community Development Officer b. Vina Harvey – Area Community Development Worker – Sundon, Bramingham & Northwell c. Bob Baker – Senior Area Youth Officer d. Sophie Rahim – Area Community Development Worker – Limbury & Icknield REPORT

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Jubilee Community Centre

Marsh Farm Festival

3. The Festival took place on Saturday 24th July 2005 and was attended by approximately 3000 people. The event was attended by the local MP Kelvin Hopkins and local Councillors. Local organisations took part in a full arena programme including Weekend Arts College, live Asian music, Thamil Group, Brownies, Steel Band and Church of God. The event took place from 10.00 am to 5.00 p.m. and was jointly funded by Marsh Farm Community Development Trust. The day included side stalls, side shows, fare ground rides, inflatables, Police, Recycle Bus, Dog Wardens, Road Safety Unit, Car boot sale and lots more.

Youth Holiday Scheme

4. As part of the Summer Youth Programme funded through Marsh Farm Community Development Trust, a variety of activities have been put on for young people aged 11 – 16 years old who attend school in Marsh Farm during the Summer break. These include Ice Skating, Go Karting, Laser Quest, theatre trips, Quad Biking, Alton Towers and Chessington World of Adventure.

5. A series of trips are also being held for families which include Southend, Great Yarmouth, Clacton, Eastbourne, Chessington World of Adventure, Camden Market, Blackpool, Woodside Farm, Bedford Oasis and Skegness. All of these activities are supported by the Jubilee Centre staff.

Sundon Park Community Centre

Sundon Park Trust

6. The Centre is currently running programmes including IT Classes, Weight Watchers, Art Classes, Bingo, Tai Chi, Film Club, Playschemes, Bingo and Slimming World. Borough Council will be providing ongoing support to the Trust. The Trust and Officers will be looking to find ongoing avenues of funding in order to continue development in the Sundon Park area.

7. Following the Trusts successful funding bid to extend the current facilities at Sundon Park Community Centre, work has now been completed on the extension. The facilities include a much larger hall and an extended office facility.

YOUTH SERVICE

Best Value Review

8. Best Value Review of the Youth Service has began and the key issues for Youth Service.

Value Review are:

• The cost of the youth service and the outcome it produces? • The quality of existing facilities and are they in the right place? • Are the resources available to the service used in the right way based upon the needs of young people and the community? • Could the service be provided in a different way?

9. The review process should ensure that the required services are delivered in the most effective way based within a culture of performance management which defines required outcomes, sets targets and measure actual achievements.

10. The Best Value Review will be concluded by the end of the year and if anyone would like to contribute they may do so by e-mail [email protected] or in writing to Luton Youth Service Central office Luton Youth House St Mary’s Road Luton LU1 3JA.

Northwell & Bramingham Areas

11. The Senior Area Youth Development Worker has held meetings with the Marsh Farm Community Development Trust to develop partnership working and support an integrated coordinated delivery of service to young people.

12. Progress has been hampered due to meetings of the Marsh Farm Youth Strategic Group been cancelled along with the plan to recruit a full time Youth Strategic Development Worker post. However a number of partnership initiatives and development work has been carried out in Bramingham Ward with significant projects developments at Lea Manor Youth Centre.

Time Out Zone Project

13. Luton Youth Service and the Marsh Farm Youth Diversionary Scheme are working in partnership to provide after school provision for the young people at Lea Manor Youth Centre. Time Out Zone opened in May – and offers young people an opportunity to visit the youth centre every Wednesday 3.00 pm 5.00pm and participate in a variety of workshops and initiatives. The Cyber café is also used as a resource to assist the young people with their homework, projects etc.

14. An average of 20 young people attend the session, and it is hoped to increase sessions in September.

TLC Project (Teen Learning Centre)

15. Luton Youth Service is currently working in partnership with , The Lodge, Beds Primary Health Care Trust and relevant professionals to include Doctors and Nurses, to set up a confidential Advice and Information Service to Young people. The aim is to run the sessions daily during the lunch breaks at Lea Manor Youth Centre, and allow young people to come and receive advice, and support on a variety of issues that may be affecting their lives. The service will allow the young people to discuss things in a safe and confidential environment.

The project will commence in September 2005.

TAP Truancy Awareness Project)

16. Luton Youth Service in partnership with the Education Welfare Service worked with 12 Young People who successfully completed a Truancy Awareness Project and held an awareness day on March 16th within Lea Manor High School. The group had worked for the past 6 months helping to raise awareness relating to truancy and non-school attendance. Dignitaries included the Deputy Mayor of Luton Cllr. Haji Abid, Mr Tony Dessent Corporate Director, Mr Nick Chamberlain Principal Youth Officer, Simon Ashely Education Welfare Manager, and John Salusbury Deputy Head of Lea Manor High School and many other representatives from the Children and Learning Department.

17. The day consisted of a variety of competitions, live radio interview on 3 Counties Radio, assembly, lunch time drama in school theatre, all delivered by the young people. In addition local celebrities “Voices with Soul” who came to support the initiative complimented the day.

18. The day concluded with a massive balloon release, all bearing the TAP logo, by the young people, Deputy Mayor and Voices With Soul. The furthest balloon reached Nottingham.

19. The young people all received a merit towards a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme. It is hoped that this initiative will continue in September with the group taking on the project in a Peer Mentoring role.

Young People and the Youth Service Best Value Review

20. A town wide group of young people, four of whom are from Marsh Farm, are working with Lea Manor Youth Club Head of Centre to create and design a web site for the Youth Service. This is part of the Best Value Review, and will provide the service with a tool to ensure ongoing consultation and feedback from young people is received.

Marsh Farm Young People Talent Show

21. Luton Youth Service made significant contributions in support of the Marsh Farm ‘Not a Bling Thing’ event held on 23rd July at Lea Manor Recreation Centre. The event geared to 16 – 25 year olds consisted of a music talent competition, basketball, football, and rodeo along with information points for local service providers to give information of their services to young people. Approximately 200 young people attended throughout the day and the event, co-ordinated through The Princes Trust, was a notable achievement in attracting the interest of young people and seeking to engage local youth groups.

Limbury & Icknield Areas

Mead School Youth Project

22. Since it’s opening in the spring the Meads youth club and its relationship with both the school and the community has flourished. The youth club started with three members and no equipment. Currently, there are 72 members and equipment for the young people to use.

23. The future plans are to introduce new initiatives and programmes with the support and input of the young people. Throughout, the parents of these young people are fully informed and make regular contact with the youth club.

Young women’s residential

24. A female residential took place on 22 to 24 July 05. Nine young women participated, five of which were from the North Area , specifically, the Meads and Sundon Park youth clubs.

25. All of the young women had planned their own targets that they wanted to meet whilst on the residential. It was demonstrated in their written and verbal evaluations that they had met their targets. All of the young women received both a recorded outcome and an incentive reward voucher for meeting their targets, challenging themselves, participation and social development.

26. On the 9 September 05 there will be a rewards and recognition meeting, held at Sundon Park. There will also be a presentation from Paul Coates about the Duke of Edinburgh Awards, as the young women expressed their interests in completing the first aid and lifesavers course and pursing their bronze and silver.

Sundon Park Area

Sundon Park Youth Centre

27. A group of young girls have been taking part in the Virtual Baby project, which has opportunities for the young girls to take a programme baby away for a weekend. The response has been very positive, we have also introduced the Empathy Belly, which is to simulate a heavily pregnant woman.

28. Keri Murphy of Sundon Park Youth Club won the Youth service Photograph competition, and the youth club received a digital video camcorder.

29. Disability Awareness Training for 15 young people between the ages of 13 – 19, was started on July 4th Monday evenings, and will run for 6 weeks. The young people will get part of an accreditation through the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme. Two part-time staff and the Head of Centre devised this training.

Summer Projects

30. Our two full time Youth Service managed centres, Sundon Park Youth Centre, and Lea Manor Youth Centre are open throughout the holidays to deliver activity learning summer programmes in the North Area.

31. A wide range of activities is on offer to young people and these activities has been promoted town wide through the youth service summer brochure 2005.

32. In addition a Town wide community cohesion summer initiative for young people aged 13 -19 geared around the Arts will commence on the 17th August, utilizing facilities at Marsh Farm Performance Academy, Maidenhall Junior School, and High School.

33. The project seeks to break down inter culture rivallary between Asian, Black British and other young people. The Luton Youth Service in partnership with Hat Factory will ensure that the artistic development of young people is advanced as well as the engendering of respect amongst young people to culture, other than their own. The young people will collaboration with each other through a series of themed workshops culminating in them devising and staging a 20 minutes live performance at the Mela Festival on Saturday 10th September, at Wardon Park

Lea Manor Friendship Scheme

34. The Easter Scheme saw some 65 young people; both clients and volunteers enjoy 2 weeks of fun and activities to include trips to bowling alley and the Zoo.

35. The Summer Scheme is underway, and at present 58 young people are attending daily. This summer scheme will include trips to Southend-on-sea and Diggerland theme park in Kent. The young people are also working towards recorded and accredited outcomes from the scheme.

Web Browsing Course

36. Lea Manor Youth Centre as part of the summer programme the centre is running a four day Web Browsing Course facilitated by College. The course will give young people the opportunity to learn how to get the best from their PC, and use the Internet safely. This is an accredited course and successful completion will give the young people an accreditation.