This in from the council, in their own words. Ed
People have until the end of the month (September) to comment on proposed changes to services for young people on the Isle of Wight.
The Isle of Wight Council started to review the Island’s youth service in 2008 after research showed just 16% of people aged 13-19 regularly used the service.
The council wants to update its youth services to ensure they are available to more young people including those with disabilities.
Extension to deadline for comments
In June this year, the council’s cabinet decided to give people more time to consider the proposals before a final decision is made in October.
Plans for the updated service – outlined in the cabinet report which can be found online – will focus on offering youth activities, including outreach services, where young people want to or already go.
These might include meetings at youth cafes or skate parks, rather than offering repeat activities based in or around a particular building. The only youth centres which would continue to be run by the council would become hubs for area based activities.
Sustainable alternatives to youth centres
The latest proposals focus on moving away from managing unsustainable and sometimes unsuitable buildings including some existing youth centres although no centres will close until suitable alternatives have been put in place.
In this final period of feedback the council is keen to hear from both young people and voluntary and community organisations that may be able to offer activities for young people in their area. The council is also working with the Island’s Youth Council to hear young people’s views.
Posters containing a QR code which links to films on YouTube about the proposals along with details of how to comment are being sent to schools, youth centres and libraries. QR codes can be scanned by smart phones, taking people directly to a web page without them having to type in a web address to their browser.
Responding to what young people want
Cllr Barry Abraham, Isle of Wight Council Cabinet Member for fire, culture and residents’ services, said: “I would encourage anyone who has an interest in the youth service to send in their views. Within the council’s limited resources, these proposals are responding to what young people have indicated to us they want, providing a service that is not necessarily confined to a building week after week, but offering something everyone can access and enjoy.”
Anyone wanting to send in their views can email [email protected] or write to the Commissioning Manager for Building Community Capacity, IW Council, County Hall, Newport, PO30 1UD.
Image: freddyfromutah under CC BY 2.0
