“There is inadequate youth service provision for young people (aged 11-19) across Oxfordshire in their local neighbourhoods.
In recent years, Oxfordshire County Council has lost 136 youth worker posts, which provided open-access sessions in youth and community centres, with activities such as music and sports, alongside detached and outreach work on the streets.
Young people need safe places to meet outside of formal educational settings. Currently there is no direct provision for young people in Oxfordshire. Without the support of youth workers, many young people are failing to achieve their potential during their vital teenage years, and lack self-esteem and confidence. Without somewhere to go and somebody to talk to, these young people have an increased risk of unhealthy relationships and behaviours, substance misuse, exploitation and mental health issues.
There is a huge need for a statutory youth service delivered in dedicated youth settings, providing opportunities and support for young people to develop in a positive way.
Council calls on the Cabinet to:
Consider the needs of young people in Oxfordshire with a view to funding a sustainable youth service;
Write to the Secretary of State for Education to enable provision of a statutory youth service.”
Minutes:
Councillor Emma Turnbull moved and Councillor Brighouse seconded the following motion:
“There is inadequate youth service provision for young people (aged 11-19) across Oxfordshire in their local neighbourhoods.
In recent years, Oxfordshire County Council has lost 136 youth worker posts, which provided open-access sessions in youth and community centres, with activities such as music and sports, alongside detached and outreach work on the streets.
Young people need safe places to meet outside of formal educational settings. Currently there is no direct provision for young people in Oxfordshire. Without the support of youth workers, many young people are failing to achieve their potential during their vital teenage years, and lack self-esteem and confidence. Without somewhere to go and somebody to talk to, these young people have an increased risk of unhealthy relationships and behaviours, substance misuse, exploitation and mental health issues.
There is a huge need for a statutory youth service delivered in dedicated youth settings, providing opportunities and support for young people to develop in a positive way.
Council calls on the Cabinet to:
Consider the needs of young people in Oxfordshire with a view to funding a sustainable youth service;
Write to the Secretary of State for Education to enable provision of a statutory youth service.”
Councillor Steve Harrod moved and Councillor Nick Field-Johnson seconed the following amendment as shown in strikethrough/bold italics below:
“There is inadequate inconsistent youth service provision for young people
(aged 11-19) across Oxfordshire in their local
neighbourhoods. Communities.
In
recent years, Oxfordshire County Council has lost 136 youth worker
posts, which who provided
open-access sessions in youth and /community centres, with
activities such as music and sports, alongside detached and
outreach work on the streets.
Many Yyoung
people need safe places to meet outside of
formal educational settings. Currently there is no direct
provision for young people in Oxfordshire paid directly by the public. Without the support of
youth workers, many some
young people, particularly vulnerable young
people, are at risk of
failing to achieve their potential during their vital
teenage years, and with lack
self-esteem and confidence. Without somewhere to go and somebody to
talk to, some of these young people
have an increased risk of unhealthy relationships and behaviours,
substance misuse, exploitation and mental health issues.
There is a huge always a
need for a statutory better
youth services delivered in
dedicated youth settings, providing opportunities and support
for young people to develop in a positive way and this may be achieved by a variety of statutory and community
lead services.
Council calls on the Cabinet to:
Consider the needs of young people in Oxfordshire with a view to reviewing best practice for third-sector provision of youth services and assessing the options for funding a financially sustainable youth service in the medium term;
Write to the Secretary of State for Education to explore the scope for extending best practice among
third sector providers of youth services and reviewing future
possibilities for providing enable provision of a
statutory youth service.”
Following debate, the amendment was put to the vote and was carried by 32 votes to 26.
The substantive motion as amended was put to the vote and was carried by 34 votes to 0, with 24 abstentions.
RESOLVED: (34 votes to 0, with 24 abstentions)
“There is inconsistent youth service provision for young people (aged 11-19) across Oxfordshire in their Communities.
In recent years, Oxfordshire County Council has lost 136 youth worker posts, who provided open-access sessions in youth/community centres, with activities such as music and sports, alongside detached and outreach work on the streets.
Many young people need safe places to meet outside of educational settings. Currently there is no direct provision for young people in Oxfordshire paid directly by the public. Without the support of youth workers, some young people, particularly vulnerable young people, are at risk of failing to achieve their potential during vital teenage years, with lack self-esteem and confidence. Without somewhere to go and somebody to talk to, some of these young people have an increased risk of unhealthy relationships and behaviours, substance misuse, exploitation and mental health issues.
There is always a need for better youth services, providing opportunities and support for young people to develop in a positive way and this may be achieved by a variety of statutory and community lead services.
Council calls on the Cabinet to:
Consider the needs of young people in Oxfordshire with a view to reviewing best practice for third-sector provision of youth services and assessing the options for funding a financially sustainable youth service in the medium term;
Write to the Secretary of State for Education to explore the scope for extending best practice among third sector providers of youth services and reviewing future possibilities for providing a statutory youth service.”