Director of children's services helps overcome an initial lack of multi-agency engagement
| Provider | Training and Development Agency |
|---|---|
| Topics | Youth Matters |
| Type | Emerging practice |
| Date | June 2006 |
| Region | Not Applicable |
This authority overcame an initial lack of multi-agency engagement through the sponsorship of the director of children's services.
This authority had recently undergone significant restructuring. The targeted youth support (TYS) project manager was from one of the agencies undergoing restructuring and did not have the network or recognised authority to sufficiently engage identified stakeholders.
Too few strategic and operational stakeholders responded to requests for focused interviews, and just five workers turned up for a young people's engagement briefing. There was a lack of communication between the project manager, her boss and the director of children's services. There was also a low level of attendance at an initial meeting of a TYS reference group.
The challenge was to explain the scope of the TYS pathfinder to senior stakeholders. The key message was TYS did not just involve the project manager's agency but extended much wider. Senior stakeholders had to be able to see the need for their involvement.
A meeting was set up with the TYS sponsor, the director of children's services and the TYS project manager. It was decided the TYS project manager should present at the director's weekly meeting with a number of heads of services and ask for their help. At this meeting the director explained the TYS pathfinder was a priority and the project manager spoke of the lack of engagement. The heads of service invited the TYS project manager to present at their weekly meetings. They also made a number of suggestions relating to ongoing communications.
Comment
The director of children's services was key in enabling clear
communication about TYS at his heads of service meeting and in empowering the
project manager.
Further information
Relevant activities for this case study include stakeholder mapping,
which is part of the activities in the Discover stage.
Click for further case studies relevant to the Discover stage of the targeted youth support change process.
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Director of children's services helps overcome an initial lack of multi-agency engagement
