The Isle of Wight council Children’s Committee will meet later this week and will hear about the performance of the 13 voluntary and community groups, which have been commissioned by the council to deliver a range of activities, support and interventions for children aged 11 to 19 – otherwise known as the Youth Offer.
The Youth Offer was formed in 2014 following the closure of the Island’s youth centres. The Youth Offer has an overall budget of £987,888 over a period from October 2014 to March 2017.
There are just over 14,000 young people on the Isle of Wight within the 11-19 year old age range and 266 18-24 year olds with learning disabilities.
How are the providers performing?
Data compiled for a report to the Committee on mid-term performance shows that 2,494 young people have registered with the 13 youth providers, equating to 18% of the Island’s population within this age range.
Apart from a small dip during the summer holidays, the providers have managed to consistently record provision for 1,000 young people across the Isle of Wight.
The report states this is a two per cent increase from the service provided before the regoranisation.
Comparison of offer
The funding awarded to the 13 providers varies widely, as does the number of young people being helped in the different areas.
The Footprint Trust, which will receive £120,000 over the 2014-17 grant period and provides a drop-in cafe in the centre of Newport (Trend Cafe on the High Street) showed just 92 young people registered with them between October 2014 and March 2016.
West Wight Sports Centre, however, which will receive £85,000 over the period, had 411 young people registered with them for provision.
Supporting young people
However, figures and graphs on a piece of paper will never tell the whole story. The Youth Offer providers are there to support young people who need their help. It won’t be every child on the Isle of Wight, but the help they provide those who take up the provision can be life-changing.
Some of the comments from young people go towards showing that:
“The support I got was really helpful in dealing with what was going on at school and from people that go to my school” – Pan Together
It has helped me to be more confident” – Quay Arts
“At first I was nervous to go into a room full of people, which I still am when I go but not as much anymore” – Quay Arts
“When going on workshops I can feel nervous and scared but after going once that
feeling left” – Quay Arts
The press and public will be excluded from the meeting whilst this subject is discussed due to the confidential nature of some of the case studies.
The committee will be asked to note the report and expect another progress report at its meeting in January 2017.
Image: cilesuns92 under CC BY 2.0
