New look for Youth Service

A RADICAL change to the way activities for young people are commissioned in Liverpool is being recommended.  A 4 month cross-party review of the Youth Service – which costs around £6 million per year - has concluded that decisions on services should be decided at a very local level, rather than centrally.

A report to the city council’s Cabinet on Friday has proposing the creation of Youth Activity Zones across the city. They will be focused on the needs and aspirations of young people, with an emphasis on Friday and Saturday nights, weekends, evenings and school holidays.

Young people will also be given more of a say over the type of activities available, when and where they take place, and their duration.

The city council is also set to pool its resources with partners such as charities, social enterprises, Mersey Fire and Rescue Service and housing associations to make sure it is getting the best value for money.

There could also be an increase in the number of outreach and ‘street based’ activities, rather than services based in buildings which are more expensive to maintain and run.

Assistant Director for the Youth Service, Alison Stathers-Tracey, said:- “This has been a very detailed review in which we have taken evidence from many hundreds of people involved in providing services for young people, and youngsters themselves.  We have many dedicated and passionate individuals and groups who do a tremendous amount of work. We want to harness their enthusiasm as we make changes to the service in order to get better value for money at a time when our resources are reducing.   The key is to make sure we are providing the right activities, in the right place, at the right time, and that they are things that young people really want to take part in.   We are being careful to make sure that changes do not happen overnight, and will be working with community and voluntary groups to get them to work much more closely together in our neighbourhoods. We have to make sure every penny of our spending counts, and a key aim is to cut out duplication and increase choice for our young people.”

More account will be taken of the deprivation of an area when allocating resources. The funding formula will be split equally (50/50) between deprivation and population, rather than 30/70 as it is at present.

Any changes which could put existing youth centre facilities at risk will be presented to the Cabinet member, and the outcome reported to the relevant select committee.

A review of the Youth Service staff structure to reduce management costs and look at how workers could be seconded to voluntary sector partners will also get underway, in consultation with the trade unions.

The city is also looking into improving training and development opportunities for youth service staff.

The review, which started in December 2010, included a series of public consultations across the city with evidence provided by young people, residents, service providers, councillors, staff and community representatives.

Earlier this month, the city council earmarked more than £1 million in funding for over 30 youth voluntary and community organisations, meaning they will get the same amount as last year.

NERVE CENTRE OPEN FOR BUSINESS (IN THE FACT)

LIVERPOOL’S newest and most exciting arts and action project is going from strength to strength.  After a hugely successful ‘Nerve Centre that took place in the summer of 2010, when the former Rapid Hardware paint shop on Renshaw Street was taken over by hundreds of local people. The Nerve Centre now moves into the FACT (Wood Street) for 2 weeks only. Visitors can expect another explosive series of art, film, music, poetry and of course discussion. The title of the event is ‘INSURRECTION’. Art and discussion will follow the theme of the ConDem cuts and how we as the people of Liverpool can resist them.

The events and exhibition started on Thursday 31 March and runs until Tuesday 12 April. Darren Guy part of the Nerve Centre Collective says:- ‘We want the people of Liverpool, who are concerned about what is going in our society to come along and get involved. The aim of the Nerve centre is to provide a space and a voice to those who never get a chance’

The coming week offers a whole range of exciting arts, culture and discussion. The Nerve Centre is bringing together artists, musicians and community activists across the city, who are actively improving their communities.

There will be:-

Displays from Nerve artists and local campaigns. Workshops on Flashmobs, Open Source, Benefits and 'Setting up your own Arts Centre'. Music and drama with local artists and theatre groups. Discussions with Philosophy in Pubs (PiPs). Poetry from Windows and a Children's Corner.

A day by day events guide is available at:- catalystmedia.org.uk or there are details on Facebook by searching for The Nerve Centre.  Members of the public wanting to know more should contact the Nerve office on:- 0151 709 9948. 

Merseyside Business Leader George Downing launches charity zip

MERSEYSIDE Business Leader George Downing, teamed up with local Marie Curie Nurses Lorraine Howard and Andrea Jones to officially launch Marie Curie’s Liverpool Big Zip, which takes place at the Port of Liverpool building on Sunday May 22, 2011.

Daredevil participants will launch themselves from the roof of the iconic building zipping 160m along the high wire to land on the famous Pier Head. It’s the chance to experience a thrilling adrenaline event whilst making a real difference to people with cancer.

Liverpool’s largest commercial property landlord and owner of the building, Mr Downing, said:- “Marie Curie Cancer Care is a charity that is close to my heart. The charity’s Woolton Hospice helps patients every year, providing specialist medical and nursing care. I’m proud to support this fantastic fundraising event in the heart of Liverpool. You’ll need to have a special kind of courage to zip at this event, but by doing so you’ll be helping a truly worthy cause. So please register to take part and join hundreds of other people for the adrenaline rush of a lifetime!”

Money raised from this event will be used to support the Marie Curie Hospice in Woolton which provides care to 1,150 local cancer patients each year and to the Marie Curie Wirral Nursing Service which provides care and support to patients in their own homes. Marie Curie Cancer Care focuses on providing the best possible quality of life for people with cancer and other terminal illnesses, and all services are provided free of charge to patients and their families.

For more information and to register go online or call:- 08700 340 040 now...