Youth Work Strategy Implementation Board meeting: 18 July 2024

Youth Work Strategy Implementation Board meeting: 18 July 2024

Attendees

• Sharon Lovell (SL) (Chair)
• Joanne Sims (JS)
• Lowri Jones (LJ)
• Shahinoor Alom (SA)
• Simon Stewart (SS)
• Deb Austin (DA)
• Sian Tomos (ST)
• David Williams (DW)
• Dyfan Evans, Head of Youth Engagement Branch, Welsh Government (WG) (DE)
• Donna Robins, Senior Youth Work Strategy Manager, Welsh Government (DR)
• Tom Kitschker, Support for Learners Team Support Officer, Welsh Government (TK)

Apologies

• Marco Gil-Cervantes (MG) 

Conflicts of interest

None declared.

Previous Board meeting minutes and action points

The Board reviewed the minutes and action points from the last meeting held on 13 May 2024. 

SL noted her thanks to the sector, CWVYS, Board members and Welsh Government officials for all activity during Youth Work Week, including an event in Ty Hywel providing an opportunity for young people, Senedd members and members of the Board to discuss key priorities.

Development of a National Youth Work Body: update and overview of proposed next steps

DR gave an overview to the Board of work to date in relation to the development of a potential national Youth Work body, including the historic background to these discussions and an overview of proposed next steps. Attention was drawn to links to other areas of work, including the recommendations made by the recent funding review for youth work, proposals to strengthen the legislative framework for youth work, and the role of young people.

Board members discussed four key areas in relation to the development of a potential national body for youth work, including pilot programmes currently underway on workforce development and marketing and engagement, as well as key functions that a national body would be required to undertake.

Officials plan to gather feedback from key stakeholders over the coming months to inform broader engagement across the youth work sector and beyond later in 2024. Board members were eager to learn from the establishment of other bodies and organisations, and provide opportunities for a wide range of representatives to share their views, following a similar model to the one adopted for work to strengthen the legislative framework for youth work.

Evidence gathered from the next phase of this work will help inform options to be presented to the Cabinet Secretary for Education’s on the future direction of this work.

AOB

DR provided a summary of work to date and next steps for the funding review for youth work. The Board will discuss the findings and recommendations of the review at its next board meeting in October.

A residential forum for young people will be held in August focusing on the development of a young person’s led governance model. Urdd Gobaith Cymru have been contracted to deliver this forum on behalf of the Welsh Government, and they are working closely with the Young People are Thriving IPG to design the content of this forum. Feedback from the forum will be provided at the Board’s next meeting.

The Chair of the board expressed thanks to Hannah Wharf, Deputy Director for Support for Learners division, for her contribution and support, as the Youth Engagement Branch moves to a new division in the coming months.

Officials noted that the national conference for youth work will take place on 20 February 2025, and that further communication to the sector on this will be circulated in due course. 

Action points

Officials to proceed with engagement work on a potential national body for youth work, and develop more detailed plans for wider engagement from autumn 2024 onwards.

Board members to meet in early September 2024 to discuss the findings and recommendations of the youth work funding review.

Officials to provide an updated summary of budgets for Board members.

Date and focus of next meeting

3 October 2024.