Agenda item

            The Board received a report of the Strategic Director, Children and Young People in relation to the progress of the Youth Bank in appropriately distributing the Youth Opportunity Fund (YOF) and Youth Capital Fund (YCF) and of the Government’s decision to continue these funding streams to at least 2011.

            The Board was advised that in March 2006 the DfES announced the roll out of the Youth Opportunity Fund and Youth Capital Fund which had been described in the Youth Matters green paper published in July 2005. In Halton the combined fund totals £179, 914pa for two years. The main purpose of the funds was to “…give a voice and influence to young people, particularly disadvantaged young people, in relation to things to do and places to go and to convey a powerful message to young people that their needs and aspirations were important”. (DfES guidance notes P3).

            In July 2006 the Executive Members Board adopted the following statement:

‘Halton was committed to the continuing development of the voice and influence of young people on services, youth activities, and the structures within which decisions about communities were made. As a part of this commitment the Borough welcomed the introduction of the Youth Opportunity & Youth Capital fund and intended to ring fence these monies so that young people could make the key decisions around which places to go and things to do they wish to fund and have developed. This new initiative would involve the development of a Halton Youth Bank run for young people by young people. It would build on, and link into, the Boroughs recent success in supporting the introduction of the UK Youth Parliament, Borough Youth Forum Cabinet, and area based Youth Forums.’

            The Board was further advised that the Borough Youth Cabinet recruited young people to the Youth Bank through a publicity campaign in the media, in all schools and by talking to groups of young people throughout the Borough including in the more deprived areas. These young people went through a selection and training process assisted by their Youth Worker and trained through Youth Banks UK. By September 2006 the Youth Bank was established and registered with Youth Banks UK as an accredited Youth Bank.

            In addition the Board was updated on the activities of the Halton Youth Bank between September 2006 and October 2007. In this respect, the Board received a presentation from Miss E. Davidson, Miss E. Klieve and Miss J. Pickering of Halton Youth Bank.

The Chairman thanked the Halton Youth Bank Members for attending the meeting and giving an informative presentation.

RESOLVED: That

(1)                     the report be accepted and its contents noted;

(2)                     the presentation on 15^th November 2007 from the young people operating the Youth Bank about their work and achievements be accepted;

(3)                      the government’s intention to continue these funding streams and resolve they should continue to be administered by the Youth Bank be noted; and

(4)                     the appropriateness of other funding focussed on delivering positive activities for young people being channelled through the Youth Bank be considered.