The Committee received a report
which provided an overview and update on the
work being undertaken with those not in education, employment or training (NEET). The report details of service delivery which
included the following:-
-
Welsh Government and UK objectives in this area of
work;
-
Locally determined objectives, partnership working
and performance;
-
Regional developments;
-
Risks and challenges.
The following
questions/observations were raised on the report:-
- Reference was made to
the impact of covid and officers were
asked if we will be able to catch up with the missed NEET
opportunities and that we will be able to get back on
target. The Director informed the
Committee that the service has continued to work throughout the
pandemic and moved back to holding face to face meetings quite
quickly after the onset of the pandemic. The Principal Youth
Support Services Manager added that school based youth workers are key to this work and
they were back in schools at the earliest possible
opportunity. A lot of work has been
done within the department to ensure that risk assessments and safe
working practices were in place to enable staff to continue to work
safely and responsibly. She added that, as a service, they do not
need to catch up as they have continued to work throughout the
pandemic;
- Reference was made to
the Young Person’s Guarantee and concern was expressed over
the lack of progress on this initiative due to Welsh Government
internal resource issues and an assurance was sought that these
issues will be sorted out as it was unfair that our young people
should lose out on opportunities because of the Welsh Government.
The Principal Youth Support Services Manager informed the Committee
that this initiative was very much linked to the review of the
Youth Engagement and Progression Framework, an update report on
which was expected in the new year;
- As Local Authorities
have to bid for Shared Prosperity Fund
(SPF) money every year, officers were asked how much uncertainty
that creates and also whether all Local Authorities have to compete
against each other for this money and if it is not forthcoming then
what do we do. Reference was also made
to the fact that a lot of the funding available is in the form of
short term grants and officers were
asked if any decisions are likely on a national level to create a
more sustainable long-term system. The
Director explained that a number of the programmes are short term,
3 year programmes. He agreed that it was difficult because during
that period teams become well established but when the funding
comes to an end, the teams have to be
disbanded. The Principal Youth Support Services Manager added that
there is a concern that each Local Authority and the third sector
will submit bids which will lead to some areas missing out which
would be a great concern. As a County
Council we need to look at how we can best access that funding
in order to improve outcomes going into
the future. The Committee was assured that this issue was being
monitored closely;
- Disappointment was
expressed at the fact that the Local Authority has to bid for this money because we are going to
have a cohort of youngsters every year who fall into this category
and it was felt that this funding should be part of the core
support available. It was suggested
that the Committee write to Welsh Government to suggest that the
Young Persons’ Guarantee becomes part of the core
funding;
- Reference was made to
self-reporting and specifically those students who do not turn up
for a college course and officers were asked who is responsible for
monitoring such instances and whether they are reported to Careers
Wales. The Principal Youth Support Services Manager
informed the Committee that officers receive a
snapshot of data from Careers Wales in relation to 16-19 year olds on a monthly basis. Vulnerability Assessment meetings in school are
also helpful in terms of data verification. She assured the
Committee that officers do what they can reasonably do to ensure
that the data is accurate.
UNANIMOUSLY
RESOLVED
4.1 that the report be
received;
4.2 that a letter be
sent from the Committee to the Welsh Government conveying the
Committee’s concerns regarding funding and requesting
that a more sustainable, long term
system be
introduced.