YP Friendly Neighbourhoods
A new programme funded by the Department for Education will give
young people the chance to shape and run youth services with
local residents in their communities. 11 to 19 year olds in twenty
areas across England are set to have their say on issues and
services that affect them.
‘Young People Friendly Neighbourhoods’ (YPFN) is an innovative
whole-community approach to youth services coordinated nationally
by Groundwork UK in partnership with Sanctuary Housing, FPM and Youth
Access.
Between now and March 2013, YPFN will work with up to 1,700 young
people from 20 housing estates across England where youth nuisance
and anti social behaviour have been identified as significant
problems, to design and deliver tailored activities that respond to
the needs and priorities of their community.
Building on local partnerships with children and young people
and their families, housing providers, local authorities and other
partners, young people will help run and partly own local youth
services, in some cases via youth mutuals, while also benefitting
from learning, skills development and employment
opportunities.
Young people with particularly complex needs will also be
provided with specialist targeted advice and counselling on a broad
range of issues including teenage pregnancy and drug and alcohol
misuse.
Groundwork UK (GWUK) secured a Department for Education grant
over 2 years to deliver targeted and generic support for young
people and communities. As local authority funding shrinks the
intention is for voluntary organisations to demonstrate and test
innovative ways of delivering and resourcing interventions and
activities.
Two Youth Workers based in Scarborough, will
be focusing initially in Barrowcliff and Eastfield estates.
The activities will be delivered within the context of existing
work, especially as a result of My Barrowcliff.
Youth worker Helen Thackray will be based in
the Wakefield District, capitalising on existing projects.