The youth service and other organisations working with young people have a key role to play in their personal, social and health education. A needs assessment, however, carried out in Wales found that most youth organisations from both the maintained and voluntary sector have not formulated policies and practice to develop this work. Reasons for this are varied but include lack of clarity surrounding the role of the youth service and the legal implications of providing sexual health information and advice. The following pages contain ideas and suggestions for developing a sexual health policy and programme and factual information relating to the legal context for work in this complex area.

This paper will establish the case that an adequately resourced youth service, able to adopt a range of approaches, is of inherent benefit to society.  Youth work is able to offer positive experiences which address the needs and aspirations of young people and enable them to develop as responsible citizens, able to make positive contributions to their communities.

Whilst the primary purpose of youth work has never been crime prevention it has an important contribution to make to this process.  This paper will refer to recent report from the Princes Trust, based on research undertaken by Coopers and Lybrand, which demonstrates the relationship between youth work and youth crime prevention. (Coopers and Lybrand: ‘Preventative Strategy for Young People in Trouble’ 1994)

The idea for this project arose from discussions with Alyn and Deeside Community Agency about the nature of the Agency's/Forum's role in empowering young people and developing models of practice for enabling young people to have a voice in their communities.

The aims of the project were to enable young people and the local community to arrive at decisions about the use of Sealand Manor community centre for young people's activities and how young people can contribute to this.   The project was also concerned with broader initiatives which address the interests and concerns of young people in the area.

European White Paper on youth policy which encourages co-operation between member states on youth issues and a higher profile for youth issues in Community and National policies.

Joint Statement from Jane Davidson AM Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning and the Management Board of the Wales Youth Agency.

The Welsh Assembly Government will cease funding the Wales Youth Agency and from the 1st January 2006, will set up a new branch within the Assembly to take on the functions of the Agency and a number of other programme areas.

The Wales Youth Agency and the State Council of Youth Affairs have begun a cordial relationship. They look forward to the exchange of professional experience, scholarship and research, in mutual respect for the special contributions which derive from one another’s history and culture, and believe that the benefits of their developing relationships will include the sharing of the understanding which has resulted from their links with other partners in the European Community.

Model lone working policy and procedures for youth and community organisations and other organisations working with young people. Written in conjunction with the Suzy Lamplugh Trust

 

Helen Miller, Wales Youth Agency 2003

The Wales Youth Agency convened two seminars to explore the role of Town and Community Councils in developing services for young people and was enthused by the diversity of provision. It undertook to prepare this briefing document to disseminate information about developments and to enable other Councils to establish their own provision.