Camden Council to introduce improved youth offer
On Wednesday 21 July, the Council’s Cabinet agreed a set of proposals to improve the range of activities and services available to young people in the borough.
Last year, a major review of the borough’s youth offer took place into the existing provision and activities available for young people aged 12 to 18, and for those aged up to 25 with a learning disability.
The Council heard from around 500 young people as well as youth professionals to ensure young people could be at the heart of the review and the best possible provision could be put in place.
A set of proposals to improve Camden’s youth offer was developed, using the results of the review, and this has now been agreed by Cabinet.
Proposals include improving after-school activities and access to sport, developing a more comprehensive training offer for staff working with young people, making best use of the Council’s libraries to ensure they are more welcoming for young people, as well as ensuring young people have greater say in decision-making in the borough.
The Council will also invest £231,000 in six youth work apprenticeships to work in our Youth Service over the next two years.
Funding for the apprenticeships is through re-investing savings made by the Council’s outstanding Youth Justice Service who have been successful in decreasing the number of young people going through the criminal justice system for the second year in succession.
Camden has huge aspirations for its young people and is committed to ensuring we have the very best provision in place to help them in future life. We know more than ever we must continue to invest and improve services to support them, and these proposals aim to widen the opportunities, events and activities available to them, benefiting even more of our younger residents.
Work has already begun to expand the activities and opportunities available to young people across the borough in response to feedback from the review. This includes work to create dedicated safe spaces at Camden libraries, designed by young people for young people - with a pilot between Somers Town youth hub and Crowndale library launching this autumn.
The Council is also working with the Young Camden Foundation and community organisations to put more provision in place for young people across the borough, especially after school.
As part of the proposals, an annual survey led by Camden Youth Council has also been launched for young people to have their say on what it is like to live in Camden. The survey, which closes on 28 October this year, asks young people what life skills they are interested in learning after school, including managing finances, finding the best jobs and making a positive difference to the environment.
The results will then be used by Camden Youth Council to develop social action projects for young people in the borough. The Council has committed £20,000 for Camden Youth Council to develop these initiatives.
Young people can get involved in the survey at Camden Youth Council - curriculum for life survey.
Another report will be going to Cabinet in Autumn with further proposals around the youth offer, including employment support.