In the Loop: 4
Welcome to the YWU’s fortnightly bulletin aiming to keep members up to date with the latest
developments. This is e-mailed to staff in member LAs & voluntary organisations.
Youth Work Unit –Y&H. - Stringer House, 34 Lupton Street, Leeds LS10 2QW.
Office open: Tues, Weds & Thurs. 0113 270 3595, theunit@youthworkunit.com
Web: www.youthworkunit.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/YouthWorkUnit
National News
NCS – The NCS Trust has been holding some briefing sessions about NCS 2015 I attended a
briefing in York and attach my notes
Stop, Look and Listen: NCVYS makes 28 February National Safeguarding Day NCVYS is calling
on all children and youth organisations to make 28 February the one day every year where
organisations Stop what they are doing, Look at their safeguarding practices and Listen to young
people, empowering them to take an active role in managing their own safety.
Our Decision – a pack to help VCS orgs understand the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
application process- see www.ncvys.org.uk/UserFiles/OurDecision.pdf
Disclosure and Barring Service and Home Office has published a list of offences that will never be
filtered from a criminal record check.
Apprenticeship numbers increasing - The quarterly Apprenticeship Index reveals a 24% increase
in Apprenticeship vacancies posted online on the Apprenticeship vacancies website between August
and October 2013 compared to the same period the previous year – 37,410 vacancies were
advertised over the three months versus 30,230 in 2012. With online applications leaping by 43% (to
461,530), the Government is urging employers to create more Apprenticeship positions to meet
demand.
Release Potential Traineeships - Traineeships Release Potential are delivering as well as National
Apprenticeship Service fact sheets to help Youth Workers and Young People decide if Traineeships
would be the best route to take. Find out more about Traineeships and Advisers and
intermediaries. The Traineeship Programme that Release Potential will deliver will be; 8 Weeks in
length, will include sector based accredited qualifications, work Preparation Training, a quality work
placement, entry Level 3 Functional Skills in English and Maths and all teaching and learning
sessions will be held in local venues.
Britain's Best Volunteer - During February and March this year, Markel and Small Charities
Coalition are coming together to discover the nation's unsung volunteering heroes. Small charities,
community groups and not for profit organisations are invited to nominate their own volunteers for a
chance to win Britain's Best Volunteer, as well as £1,000 in holiday vouchers for their own personal
use and £1,250 to donate to the charity of their choice.
Homelessness problems for under 25's up 57% - Citizens Advice finds that the number of issues
of young people at risk of losing their home also rose steeply over the years of recession, with 39%
more young clients visiting their local Citizens Advice Bureaux for support over the period. For those
young people in work, getting fair treatment is also a growing problem, with a big jump in the number
of problems with terms and conditions of employment for those aged under 25 since 2007.
16-19 study programmes - This is a toolkit which aims to support practitioners to develop effective
study programmes for 16-19 year olds.
Y&H News
YWU Policy Network Meeting with Richard Benstead from the Cabinet Office – This invitation
meeting will take place in Leeds on March 13th when Richard will discuss the CO report on the recent
survey of LAs re their statutory duty and will take Q & As and listen to practitioners.
What you need to know about Local Enterprise Partnerships, EU Programmes and
opportunities for the VCS Thursday 27 March 2014, 12.45 – 4.00 Priory Street Centre, 15 Priory
Street, York, YO1 6ET
Let's Shake up Democracy is an international French & British project youth. Young people who
have been involved in political decision making have come together to share their experiences. They
have devised a set of 9 posters depicting experiences of young people try to make a change in their
community,their aim is to recognize the challenges facing young people trying to engage in politics &
encourage more youth involvement through working together to challenge the barriers. We invite you
to join the British & French group at their Launch. Saturday 1 March 2.30pm @ Manningham Mills
Lilycroft Road .BD9 5BD
New & Updated Good Practice Guides - West Yorkshire Community Accounting Service have
published a new guide to help solvent organisations which are thinking about closing down – whether
project funding is coming to an end or there is no further demand for services. The guide runs
through the practical steps that need to be considered including budgeting aspects, what to do if there
is remaining funding, and the governance requirements depending on what type of organisation is
involved. In addition, a number of their other good practice guides have been update. All are available
free of charge via the WYCAS website.
The Young Lives NEET Research and Report has now been published. Jenny Dobson, Funding
Officer from Big Lottery, has said about this research: “Through this piece of research Young Lives
Leeds, Bradford and Wakefield have given young people across West Yorkshire a voice. Young Lives
have set out a hard hitting partnership approach giving young people the opportunity to see
themselves as influencers – working with those voluntary groups and local businesses to help
address barriers faced by NEET young people across West Yorkshire.” You can download the full
report (25 pages) and a summary report (4 pages) by going to The Doing Good Leeds Website
Youth Voice Y&H
Votes at 16 Lobby – several young representatives from Y&H were in London to march to parliament
where they met with various MPs and peers to make the case for lowering the voting age to 16. Read
the full article on the Youth Work Unit Website ; http://www.youthworkunit.com/site/political-climatechanging-to-welcome-votes-at-16/
Yorkshire & The Humber Youth Voice Steering Group - The terms of office of the first Steering
Group will end at the end of March. We need local authorities to either elect or appoint one youth
representative from one of their youth voice groups to the regional Steering Group. Please could
you ensure that you have elected/ appointed the representative from your area by the 4th April
– i.e. before the Youth Voice training weekend at Hollowford. We wish to hold our first meeting at
that key training weekend as well as in addition meeting up directly with youth workers to share
expectations for communication throughout the year ahead. Your SG rep should be aged 16 -21 and
travelling expenses to the Steering Group meetings will be met by the YWU. Please advise Bill Eve
via e-mail on billeve@youthworkunit.com
Positive Stories – BYC’s publication with stories of work in Barnsley Doncaster Leeds etc
Workforce Development and Training
Review of Level 2/3 YW Practice Qualifications – NYA Workforce team has been working with
Awarding Organisations in England and Wales to review these qualifications which are due to expire
in Nov 2014. The meeting at OCNYH on 12th December was part of this process. See below for a
questionnaire which can be returned to NYA by 21st February 2014 or asap.
Vacancies
NBF is a strategic voluntary sector infrastructure body mainly working in the health and social care
field across Yorkshire and Humber. Research and Engagement Worker at £19126 per annum/pro
rata (37 hrs per week). Based in York, the Research and Engagement Worker will work with the
current staff team to raise awareness of Healthwatch North Yorkshire by engaging with, recruiting and
managing volunteers, providing drop in sessions across the County, undertaking community
engagement, compiling and disseminating electronic newsletters, updating the website and working
with other voluntary and community groups around the health and social care agenda. Application
packs with more details are available from laura@nbforum.org.uk or Jayne Leech, Partnership
Coordinator, Strategic Development, Sector Support Calderdale, 1st Floor, Friends Meeting House,
Clare Road, Halifax, HX1 2HX, Direct Dial No 01422 383992
An inspiring opportunity. Sheffield Futures – Chief Executive
Sheffield Futures need an innovative, inspiring and entrepreneurial leader to realise the next stage of
their strategic development. You will develop new business and generate sustainable income for
Sheffield Futures to invest in the young people of Sheffield. For an application pack please contact
the HR Department on 0114 201 2775 / 2750 or jobs@sheffieldfutures.org.uk . Closing Date: Friday
7th March 2014 – 5pm
Funding
YASY is working with UKyouth acting as regional coordinator for Yorkshire & Humberside to promote
and deliver Starbucks Youth Action NCS Graduate Funding Programme
We need your help to promote the programme to all NCS graduates in your organisation /area.
Background Information
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NCS Graduate groups will be made up of 3 NCS Graduates and their proposal should involve at
least another 32 young people participating in their social action project
NCS graduates can submit their `project proposals` through their application form. There are
two option for submitting the application forms ;
1. Online through the following link https://www.formstack.com/forms/?1666557-ctV7gBjquT
2. A hardcopy of the application is attached which can be completed and returned by email to
marie@yasy.co.uk or through the post to the YASY office, address detailed below.
The process for selection will include the following:1. A selection process to award 16 NCS graduate groups up to £2000 to deliver their Social Action
project.
2. YASY will provide support for initial enquiries, guidance on completing the application form,
shortlist applications and to support the successful NCS Graduate groups throughout delivery of
their project
3. The NCS graduate programme will run over the next 15 months with funding being awarded to
NCS Graduate groups every quarter- 4 groups in March 2014 and 3 groups in May 2014, Aug
2014, November 2014 and Feb 2015.
4. The first round of submission deadline for applications is 7th March 2014:
If you need any further advice please contact Marie Boyden on 0114 2755309 or if you require a copy
of the application form to be posted to you please email info@yasy.co.uk
AGE 16 to 24 Apprenticeship Grant for Employers of 16 to 24 year olds - National Apprenticeship
Service grant £1,500 to support businesses who would not otherwise be in a position to do so, to
recruit individuals aged 16 to 24 into employment though the Apprenticeship programme. Employers
can be paid ten grants in total during the lifetime of the initiative.
SAFER COMMUNITIES FUND - Up to half a million pounds a year in criminal assets is to be
delivered back to communities in West Yorkshire. Police and Crime Commissioner, Mark Burns
Williamson is set to launch the Safer Communities Fund in Wakefield on Thursday (13/02). It sees
money seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act within the county fed in to a single pot of cash,
exclusively for the community safety initiatives. Local organisations and groups across the county
will be able to submit applications of up to £10,000. Bids for money under the Safer Communities
Fund can be made on-line or can be downloaded from the West Yorkshire Police and Crime
Commissioner’s website: http://www.westyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk/
Your Consortium Ltd (YCL) - The new round of ESF Community Grants in West Yorkshire has been
launched. Application resources and other information about the launch event are now available
here: http://www.yourconsortium.org/ycl_resources_projects_community_grant.html Closing date for
submission for application is 5pm on Friday the 14th March 2014.
20th February 2014