AGENDA ITEM 11 Integrated Youth Support (IYS) – North Neighbourhood update The IYS team in the north area of Luton has worked with a number of young people across the area both within youth centres and in schools. Our work involves informal education opportunities organised by youth workers and information, advice & guidance by personal advisors. Below is a brief outline of just some of our youth projects that have taken place recently and some forthcoming events: Connect Arts 2009 The youth centres involved in the connect arts 2009 took part in the youth showcase event at the Hat Factory. Groups of young people attending our youth centres were involved in African dance & drumming, street dance, St.Georges day dragon modelling and stage set design. The event was attended by friends & families and gave young people a public performance experience. Our groups for disabled young people also performed at the event and had a great time. Devon Residential The north area ‘young voice’ group attended a four-day residential to Devon during the Easter holidays and took part in a wide variety of outdoor activities that were both challenging and adventurous. The 16 young people aged 13- 18yrs were involved in team activities and group work and will now form the area group for young people having a voice and influencing local youth provisions. Boom Bus The mobile youth bus provision has been a regular feature on a Friday night in the Runfold area as an identified hot spot. Youth workers are engaging with 13-17yr olds who are not accessing current youth provision and this has proved a success with young people/parents. Developments are now under way in conjunction with ‘friends of the park’ to look at local play/youth facilities in the Limbury park area and possibility’s of building a youth shelter for young people. The Bus will now be based at Limbury CC on Friday nights in light of some residents concerns and after consulting with local young people. Bad Vibe The Bad Vibe project was set up partnership with Lealands high school. The work has included youth workers and education welfare working alongside the schools drama dept with young people to develop a drama/role play performing acts to deter students from non-attendance at school. The groups then performed to all students with a strong message and the impact truancy can have on young peoples lives. Bad Vibe = Bunking aint done – Being very imported being educated. 11/1 Outreach/Saturday club The Marsh Farm trust funded the youth work team to develop an outreach programme targeting ‘older’ Asian youths aged 16-19yrs and young people in the marsh farm area that may not be accessing local youth provisions. This has been achieved with youth workers working on the streets of marsh farm this has developed with over 30 young people now accessing weekly the boom bus and a new Saturday youth club. Runfold Avenue/ Outreach Project. Since April, youth workers have been delivering a weekly outreach project amongst young people in the Runfold Avenue area. The purpose was to consult the young people about what facilities and resources they would like to access in their local area. The information gained from the outreach project will be feedback into Groundwork’s wider consultation about parks in the area. Young people will be attending ‘friends of the parks’ community group to take part in further consultation on their needs and appropriate youth facilities. Summer Project 2009 The north area youth workers have planned a variety of activities across a five-week period of the summer holidays taking place both in Lea Manor YC & Sundon Park YC and across the neighbourhood. The project will be aimed at 13-19yrs who can take part in activities such as canoeing, self-defence, golf, ice skating, fishing, go carting, radio broadcasting, BMX competition residential to the Brecon Beacons for adventurous outdoor activities and weekly town wide day trips out. PA’s School Work The north area personal advisors (PA’s) are based in our four senior high schools and offer information, advice and guidance to students in years 9-12. Group work and mainly 1 2 1 work with young people focusing on careers and further education opportunities is available. PA’s also work with young people who have left formal education 16-19yr olds that may not be in education, employment or training and engage with them in the community to offer them alternative options and encourage them to re-engage. NEET Club Young people who are NEET (not in education, employment or training) in the north area will be encouraged to attend weekly NEET clubs based in the community where they can obtain advice & guidance form a personal advisor. It is hoped these NEET clubs will be another way of engaging with our hard to reach young people and support them to be more pro active in what they would like to do in the future. Tracey Quinn Team Manager - North Neighbourhood. 29th June 2009 11/2.