Young person recruits local authority coordinator
| Provider | Training and Development Agency |
|---|---|
| Topics | Targeted youth support |
| Type | Emerging practice |
| Date | September 2006 |
| Region | North East |
This case study relates to Mobilise achievement 2: Young people are at the centre of the project.
Overview
When Gateshead local authority recruited for the key post of coordinator of targeted youth support (TYS), it ensured that a 'consumer' of its youth services was involved in selecting and interviewing the candidates.
Anna (name changed), a 14-year-old on a local youth offending team (YOT) scheme, was fully briefed and consulted about what was required and worked as an equal with the three other members of the interviewing panel. The work boosted her confidence and self-esteem, she learnt new skills and the local authority benefited from her insight and views of its candidates.
The reason
Gateshead needed to recruit a coordinator with a strong understanding of the needs and views of young people in the area to help run its TYS pathfinder project.
An important principle of the pathfinder is to put children and young people at the centre of the TYS change process. "How can we ask others to do things differently if we fail the test at the first hurdle" says Brian Langley, head of the local YOT.
The local authority also puts young people at the core of all its youth work. It is presently aiming for advanced level on the 'Here by Right' initiative, a standard for the involvement of young people in democracy. It has also been awarded Beacon Council status in the positive youth engagement category.
Action taken
Anna was nominated by her worker who also supported her throughout the interviewing process. He felt that both Anna and the local authority would benefit from her involvement. Her school agreed and gave her the time off to carry out the role.
Anna was fully briefed and consulted throughout the selection and interviewing process and worked as an equal with the other three interviewees Harry Matthews, Youth and Community Learning Service Manager from the authority, Susan Butler, YOT Operational Manager, (Prevention and Anti-Social Behaviour) and Richard Taylor, Children's Fund Programme Manager.
"Anna did a great job. She really added to our understanding of what was needed and what the candidates offered. She also asked some great questions in the interviews she was very confident and professional throughout." says Harry Matthews.
The results
Although It could not be possible for Anna to be totally representative of all young people in the area, Anna made a major contribution to choosing and validating the choice of TYS coordinator. It is worth noting that if logistics had allowed, the authority would have invited two or three more young people onto the panel (it has done this in other instances).
Although involving young people in this way is standard practice within the children's fund, it is not so throughout the council. Therefore it was decided to use this approach and model the process within TYS. "As a result we got a better applicant because Anna provided a different perspective and was specifically able to discuss how the candidates related to young people." says Richard Taylor, children's fund programme manager.
The role was also very empowering for Anna. It gave her an opportunity to learn new skills, her contribution was very insightful and it adds valuable experience to her CV. The authority benefited as Anna's contribution again demonstrated the value of involving young people in its work and it illustrated that young people can perform as well as adult professionals and make a 'feet on the ground', sensible and balanced contribution. Most importantly, it ensured that the chosen TYS coordinator can relate to young people.
In addition, the pathfinder has benefited as Anna has a very good relationship with the local community and the local practitioners. This has ensured commitment at practitioner level where initiative overload or cynicism could have slowed progress and has ensured strong practitioner attendance at events.
Click for further process case studies relevant to the Mobilise stage of the targeted youth support change process or to read the achievements for this stage.
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