Rotherham Based Detached Voice and Influence Youth Project
TFR CASE STUDY: ROTHERHAM BASED DETACHED VOICE AND INFLUENCE YOUTH PROJECT
Through this project, young people are able to access the services of a team of detached youth (and sessional) workers that would work with those young people most at risk in an identified community partnership area. The prioritisation and identification of clients will be based on youth worker expertise and Community Partnership knowledge and experience.
Five aims were identified: to give young people a voice and influence in their community; to work with young people around anti-social behaviour and youth nuisance; to raise aspirations and attainment of young people; to improve relations between all ages and all sectors of the community; to develop young people’s health awareness, self esteem, communication and active citizenship.
The project was signed off in October 2005, and was in development for approx 18 months prior to that.
What TfR did?
Objective One identified the TfR adviser (as a Community Action Plan support team) to act as lead support officer and as a key organisation in co-ordinating CAPs in partnership with Objective One.
The TfR adviser co-ordinated the development of the project and the development of the business plan, with others at RMBC and Community Partnerships.
The situation:
Ian Whitehead works for Young Peoples Service, and is project manager of DVIP on behalf of Rotherham MBC. He said: ‘this extremely complex project was about community partnerships, funded to come together across Rotherham to work on the detached Voice & Influence project. At the start there was a need to develop trust for us all to be able to move forward in a positive way (and we didn’t always get it right!)’.
How TfR helped:
TfR filled the co-ordination role at a really tough time. They joined the project from an impartial angle and they maintained that impartiality throughout. They provided constructive criticism with continuing support and also provided good support at community partnership steering group meetings. In their approach to ongoing development of the project TfR were consistently professional and they always did what they said they would do’.
What was particularly valued about the support received?
Ian continued: ‘I always knew that I could ring TfR and that they would be at the end of the phone to listen to my moans and groans! (I’m sure that the partnerships did this too!) I felt able to do this because I trusted not only what was said and the impartiality around our conversations but importantly I trusted their consistency and professionalism around confidentiality’.
What have been the results?
‘The project has been able to deliver, eg by setting up a youth forum with Dinnington Area Assembly, a school council at Winterhill and a BMX track at Brampton Brierlow ! TfR brokered work around the business plan, recruitment and selection of youth workers, awaydays, community partnership training, youth worker training; ¼ly returns and offering support to individual staff in the project. I look forward to working with TfR in the future and would welcome them, in particular Colin Blain, to talk to RMBC directors to outline the value of what we have done, and to celebrate by giving a positive view of the project.
To find out more, contact TfR or
Ian Whitehead, Young Peoples Services, Rotherham
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