You can read In the Loop number 9 – the newsletter of the Youth Work Unit Yorkshire and the Humber
Here:
You can access In the Loop number 1 – the newsletter of the Youth Work Unit Yorkshire and the Humber below:
What should a 3-year government strategy for young people contain?
The Network of Regional Youth Work Units welcomes DCMS commitment to develop a 3-year strategy for young people. We want to work with the government, youth sector colleagues and young people to ensure that the strategy is a genuine cross-departmental initiative that takes into account the many different factors that impact on young people’s lives and does not concern itself simply with the elements that are included in DCMS’s current brief. We want to see a strategy that fully engages education, health, care, arts, sport, transport and aspires to make England a country where young people are encouraged to feel they are a valued part of the community.
A starting point would be to respond to young people’s demands for voting rights at 16, which would recognise young people as active citizens whose views are as important as other people in the community. Evidence from the Scottish Independence Referendum in 2014 showed that young people used their votes responsibly. There are opportunities coming up in elections for Metro-Mayors where votes at 16 could be piloted and evaluated in England. We urge the government to use these elections to test take-up of votes at 16.
We believe there are some important issues to address for the youth sector itself, and want to see these emphasised in the strategy.
The Network of Regional Youth Work Units through its members in regions supports the development of a 3-year strategy and will be happy to work with partners to engage young people and the youth sector across the country.
The Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) for Youth and Community Workers endorses a range of professional qualifications in youth and community work. While grading and pay reflect an employee’s duties and responsibilities, qualifications still form an important part in establishing competence. Guidance is provided in the JNC Agreement ‘Pink Book’ to support local discussions on criteria for allocating employees to a particular salary range with reference to qualifications within the JNC Framework (attached).
The Employers’ Side of the JNC recognises the value and importance of the qualifications framework and has confirmed its support for it. They are interested to explore its operation in both the statutory and voluntary sectors as part of their review of the JNC. They would therefore be grateful if you could give consideration to the attached questions or refer this form to the appropriate contact in your organisation.
Please complete the following consultation questions and return to the address indicated in the document:
Leeds Beckett University has launched a new part time route to Professional Youth Work qualification that can be completed over 4 years. The new BA (Hons) Youth Work and Community Development Course will be delivered in both Leicester and Leeds and will require attendance at the University a 1 day a week for four years. More information about the programme is available on the Leeds Beckett University website www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk. The programme provides practitioners the opportunity to transfer experience and practice in youth work into a professional degree level qualification while working in a youth work related field.
The programme is eligible for student finance loans the same as other full time youth work programmes even if you are currently employed. For more information if you are thinking of applying is available from www.gov.uk/student-finance
If you are interested in applying for the programme please complete the attached expression of interest form and return this to Marie Wood Mariew@nya.org.uk or send by post to Marie Wood, National Youth Agency, 19-23 Humberstone Road, Leicester, LE5 3JG