Tracey Crouch with table tennis bat – ta to skysports.com
Following on from yesterday’s question, ‘where are the voices of the youth sector?’, it’s heartening to see the Institute of Youth Work [IYW] responding critically to the government’s abandonment of its commitment to a three-year youth policy statement. Indeed the report in CYPN relates that in a strongly worded open letter sent to Tracey Crouch [the minister for civil society], the IYW states that it is “seeking assurances about the value of young people and youth work to yourself and your department”. The IYW warns that the U-turn could lead to “disaffection” among young people and “consultation fatigue” when the new strategy is consulted on. The Institute goes on to say that “many of our members directly supported young people to be involved in the extensive DCMS consultation workshops earlier this year – losing the policy this was building towards means we may have abused the trust that these people put in us and you that their views will be heard and acted upon.” On the grapevine, we’ve heard that an original draft was even more outspoken, but that diplomacy prevailed! Whatever it is refreshing to see the IYW challenging government policy or in this case the very lack of it.
Compare this to the bland statement proffered by Leigh Middleton, managing director of the National Youth Agency, which ignores utterly the amount of empty talk already endured: “I am pleased that the minister has launched consultation on a strategy for civil society and welcome the opportunity to continue our dialogue with DCMS. My hope is that this is a real opportunity to get young people listened to and their needs focused on by government.”
Read the letter in full – Tracey Crouch MP – Open Letter 20.11.17
PS DCMS stands for Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Thanks to Aston Wood
We’ve received the following approach from NYA re the proposed IYW. Leave aside the fact that we’ve no financial resources, the Steering Group feels that this request for an ‘in principle’ commitment to the IYW runs ahead of where the discussion is up to. Our reading of the last Development day was that a majority agreed the need to keep as many organisations involved in an open and provisional debate for as long as possible.
Read the following NYA letter and complete our very first survey of opinion at:
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Dear Tony Taylor
I am writing to update you on the development of the Institute for Youth Work and to ask for IN DEFENCE OF YOUTH WORK CAMPAIGN’s involvement in taking the project further.
I would be very grateful for your response by 4th April 2013.
About the Institute for Youth Work
The Education and Training Standards Committee (ETS) of the National Youth Agency, as a cross sector body with wide representation from the whole youth work sector in England, is leading the development of the Institute for Youth Work.
The aim of the Institute for Youth Work is to improve and support quality in youth work. It will aim to engage all those in the youth sector who work to enable young people to develop holistically and to reach their full potential.
The IYW will be open to all those working with young people and youth workers from across the youth sector, employed and volunteering, who work to the key principles of Youth Work as outlined by the framework for ethical practice.
The aim of the Institute will be to support youth workers to ensure individuals, and the sector, reach the highest possible standards in youth work. This will be achieved by developing work across some key work areas:
· Youth work practice – including developing and promoting a framework for ethical practice; this will be the bedrock of membership and will provide opportunities for sharing practice, supporting colleagues through peer support and mentoring opportunities.
· Providing a strategic voice for members to influence policy and practice and promoting the recognition of the impact of youth work;
· Providing guidance and information around continuing professional development;
· Potentially developing a sector skills platform – providing the sector a clear qualification strategy and youth work qualification pathway recognising the diversity of roles Youth Workers are engaged with young people.
The ETS committee of the NYA will retain the responsibility for validating professional youth work qualification for England, but during the interim IYW structure this work is will sit as a strand area to illustrate the breadth of work undertaken by the ETS.
IN DEFENCE OF YOUTH WORK CAMPAIGN’s involvement
The National Youth Agency is backing this project on behalf of the sector, but the steering group recognise that it will be essential to have a range of partnerships in place to ensure the IYW’s sustainability. We also want to be sure we can reach youth workers from across the youth sector.
I am therefore writing to ask for IN DEFENCE OF YOUTH WORK CAMPAIGN’s support to ensure the project is successful. We recognise that the web site and full IYW offer is not yet in place, but we are asking for an ‘in principle’ commitment to provide support in-kind to promote the Institute.
Given the proviso above, which of the following would your organisation be able to support?
(Please indicate)
· advertorial or editorial column space in your organisation’s magazine or newsletter (not news coverage);
· a letter or email from a senior member of staff to your members recommending the IYW;
· facility to provide staff payroll deduction for annual membership (similar to union payments etc) and to make staff aware of this facility;
· additional IYW option on your membership’s annual subscription fees (group discount to be negotiated);
· web banner/ console on your home page providing click through to IYW pages.
· any other offers (please give details).
I would be grateful for your response by 4th April 2013. I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Maralyn Smith
National Programme Manager – Workforce
