While the steering group and sub groups have been busy looking at a new process for engaging young people, our impact groups have been continuing to be spaces for partners to share insight and build new collaborations. Here’s a summary of what has been happening across our five impact groups over the past few months.
Environment/climate action
LA link: Jacqui Warren, Chief Climate Officer
Current strategic development: The group are currently re-calibrating after an unsuccessful lottery CAF bid Young People’s Planet. Quick project summary: to empower a generation of young climate changemakers in Torbay embedded in their communities and who influence at the highest strategic level. A climate action youth forum to align with the Torbay Climate Partnership and to bring the 10 agreed climate pledges from concept to action at community level. Delivered through 10 Imagination Stations across Torbay where young people can co-create climate action activity with our environment partners. 13 partners in the original bid. The group are aligning around the Greener Way 10 priorities and coming up with ideas for how to take these into action. Currently promoting the Play Torbay led Green Marketplace events.
Live funding opportunity: Joseph Rowntree Sustainable Future
Safer Streets
LA links: Amanda Paterson, Youth Justice Service; Sarah Omell, Community Safety
Wider Stakeholders: OPCC; Neighbourhood Watch
Current strategic development: Sharing insights with Sarah Omell around young people’s perception of street violence, ASB, gangs etc on social media. Developing a potential project with Neighbourhood Watch around street safety. Working closely with the Youth Justice Service around a funding bid to offer a range of prevention activity at People’s Parkfield. Also exploring ways to address priority areas identified by the YJS: Yr 6-7 transition and unmet SEND need. Re-design of Safe Bus initiative. Youth Council member has raised the concept of a Safe Bus which will be taken to this group for discussion.
Live funding opportunity: Partners developing a bid to the Weavers Benevolent Fund to develop a site-based range of positive activities for young people working with the YJS at People’s Parkfield – Moor to Sea, Taleblazers, Firebug, Cycle Torbay, Fuel Youth
Access for All
LA Link: No one yet identified
Current Strategic Development: support a more assertive inclusion of children and young people from under-engaged communities in Torbay. Identifying barriers to participation for under-engaged groups of young people – refugee and asylum-seeking YP, young carers, YP at risk of homelessness, BME, LGBTQIA+, cared for and care experienced young people, YP in the youth justice system, supported housing. We have excellent partner links to these groups and can build on this significant reach in to underserved communities of young people. Conversation at an early stage but has potential to have significant impact.
We have a recent call-out from a partner who wants to convene a conversation with other partners who are working around the SEND agenda – we are about to facilitate this.
More Spaces to Hang Out
LA link: No current link
National and regional links: National Youth Agency; Marjon Youth and Community Studies Faculty
Current strategic development: Group members working to address the acute lack of youth spaces in Torbay, seeking ways to champion youth work practice (particularly detached youth work) in a local area where this has been diluted over many years.
Group members want to work on the development of a youth collective to work across Torbay community centres to increase youth provision underpinned by the National Curriculum for Youth Work. So a standard, quality assured core youth team who would unlock a co-design and participation process with young people which influences future provision.
Imagine This are currently funding 10 young people to complete the National Youth Agency Level 2 Youth Work Award.
Reducing Stress and Anxiety
Current strategic development: Partners about to collaborate around shaping a project using the collective power of positive activity in relation to mental health. Bringing together a ‘menu’ of individual offers and how they can work together in a different way. Building around the already funded Children’s Society Time Torbay drop-ins and adding value.
- How the VCSE can significantly contribute to building a positive activities/wellbeing offer to complement any statutory/clinical mental health offer
- The power of craft, nature, music and the arts, sport etc in wellbeing
- The positive impact of drop-in and self-referral delivery in addition to appointment-based, clinical interventions
- Youth-led strategic development in the mental health agenda
- Consolidate a ‘what works’ evidence base from our collective work eg research with Public Health in story-based youth provision, earlier Imagine This project evaluation of wellbeing projects, youth-led developments etc
Live funding opportunity: Health Lottery Foundation