As year three gets underway, funders will decide how best to support existing partners and whether to add two more years of funding.
Reversing a trend of depleting investment in open access 'universal' youth work for all young people, regardless of their background, circumstances or location; is of national importance to the Scottish Government and all concerned with the rights and wellbeing of young people. Significance is raised, knowing the affects the pandemic has had on young people.
Evidence from year two confirms that this funding and in particular, the collective approach to its management and delivery, is proving benefical to all partners. The new locations where youth work exists, new recruits to the paid and voluntary workforce and increased or sustained engagement with over 1,000 young people is sufficient evidence that partners are working to fulfil the aim.
All partners have extended their youth work offer over the past two years. Partners with a track record in universal provision in their locality, had established roots to grow from and continue to strengthen, widen and increase their provision.
KYTHE is successfully transitioning from a music based project to having a more varied 'universal' offer in more localities. They also have plans for a mobile service in year three.
SCYD, CaYAG and AYP are benefitting from working together in Eastern Perthshire with exchanges between each other and wider partners. St Maddoes with a smaller allocation, does not appear to buy in to the partnership approach.
Breathe has developed in Pitlochry, and along with other partners, has strengthened its digital delivery. Schools value their one to one and employability work and their support through the lockdown.
Specialising in targeted employability work with an older age group, the YMCA has found it difficult to provide 'universal' youth work to the same extent as other partners. The last quarter of year two, saw the first green shoots of universal delivery that look set to rise in year three.
YMCA also runs a youth project for local churches, where it has started a detached project. It leads on two additional targeted funds which were secured on behalf of partners (CashBack and Education Recovery Fund). This has successfully boosted the investment in youth work and widened the range of provision in Perth City.
However, they risk taking YMCA further from the focus that is needed to address the low universal provision in Perth City. Care is therefore needed to ensure that the full impact of the investment of the funding is realised across all areas.
To address early low reach, YMCA is offering more frequent universal drop-in sessions from its new city centre base. Further advancement exists with a new YMCA building about to open which can grow the connections now evolving in their current city centre location. There are also new appointments within the staff team. Further experience and expertise in universal provision exists among partners, which YMCA can draw from.
Partners are working hard and working together to strengthen and sustain local youth work. In year two, good progress was made to overcome the challenges of Covid-19 by adapting to meet young people's needs. This ensured that progress on outcomes remained on track. Local stakeholders are beginning to recognise and value the contribution that partners make to the lives of young people in Perth and Kinross.
future focus