Highland Youth work receives Council support for future direction (06/08/09)

The future direction of Youth Work in the Highlands was endorsed today by members of The Highland Council’s Education, Culture and Sport Committee, who also commented on the positive impact youth work was having on their communities.

Progress in five key areas of Youth Work was highlighted to Council members and the future focus of these areas outlined, including:

• Direct support for young people to prepare for work through the national 16 Plus Learning Choices agenda which will enable better joint planning and working with schools, Skills Development Scotland and the voluntary sector.
• Conduct a review of leisure, recreation and development opportunities for young people at a December meeting and work with all Council services to act on its findings.
• Continue to develop training opportunities for Council and voluntary sector youth workers and continue to channel youth work resources through Council Wards with the involvement of young people in decision making.
• The future focus of engaging young people with the Council will be about continuing to ensure this has an impact on policy development and service delivery and widening engagement with community planning partners.
• Continue to expand the ways in which young peoples’ achievements can be recognised out with the exam system.

Commenting on youth work and youth workers in the Highlands Catriona Burns, Highland Youth Convener said: “We must not underestimate the positive effect a youth work project or youth club can have on a young person’s life. Without youth workers, the work that goes on in the Highlands simply couldn’t go ahead.

“Youth activities can be fun or distracting for the young people involved but it also gives them the opportunity to learn new skills, build self confidence, or discover talents that they never knew they had. This is an important part of modern youth work: not simply just to provide a distraction for young people to stop them ‘hanging around’ but to help them develop skills and become active citizens in their community at a much younger age.

“The young people our youth workers are supporting today will be shaping the world we live in for years to come, and if we invest in them now we will see the rewards.”

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For further information please contact: Pablo Mascarenhas, Principal Adult and Youth Services Officer, The Highland Council tel: (01463) 702026