02 NOV 09

Dawn Primarolo launches Young People's Workforce Reform Programme

An important chapter for the young people's workforce and those it serves begins today as Children and Young People's Minister, Dawn Primarolo, launches the Young People's Workforce Reform Programme.

The ambitious programme of reform is designed to enhance the skills and knowledge of this workforce, both paid and voluntary, and bring fresh unity and greater integration to its different roles.

The programme was commissioned by the DCSF as a key part of the 10-year strategy Aiming High for Young People, and the 2020 Children and Young People's Workforce Strategy. It has been developed jointly by the Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC), the Children's Workforce Network (CWN) and partners,¹ following extensive consultation with the workforce.

The reforms include probably the largest ever investment in the leadership and management of the workforce, and the introduction of a skills development framework. There are three main strands:

• helping to develop the leaders and managers of today and tomorrow
• increasing support for the third sector to build their capacity to deliver  high quality services
• establishing a common platform of skills  for the entire young people's workforce

From local authority officers and weekend volunteers, to chief executives of third sector organisations, everyone who works with 13- to 19-year-olds stands to benefit.² In turn, more of the country's young people will receive the support they need to reach their true potential.

A common skills framework, outlining clearer entry and progression routes for the profession is also being developed. This includes:

• new funding for a graduate recruitment scheme from early 2010
• common apprenticeship routes and foundation degrees
• work towards introducing a new Youth Professional Status (YPS)

Jane Haywood, Chief Executive, CWDC said: Young people are our future and the young people's workforce is key to their success. Our vision is of a world class young people's workforce which gives everyone they work with the brightest future possible, regardless of background or circumstances. The next phase of the reforms that we and our partners are launching today is a major step towards realising that goal, and one in which the whole workforce, paid and voluntary, can play a significant part.

Children and Young People's Minister, Dawn Primarolo officially launched the programme at an event at the Southbank Centre. She said:

Young people today face many challenges and it is vital that the people who work with them have the skills, knowledge and training to effectively guide them through to adulthood.  That's why today I'm delighted to launch the Young People's Workforce Reform Programme. This will support professionals who work with young people to build on and share their skills and experience with colleagues across a wide range of disciplines. This will ensure we have a 21^st century workforce to help young people reach their full potential.

Some benefits are already being felt, with several leadership and management development programmes already underway. 267 strategic leaders and 2,000 frontline managers, from both local authorities and voluntary organisations, have successfully completed or begun tailored training programmes. A further 2,500 frontline managers are signed up for further training, as are 150 middle managers, who will receive specific training to help them step up into senior leadership roles.

Deirdre Quill, Director of Workforce Reform at CWDC, said: Our young people have more opportunities than ever before. We know that they navigate the risks and challenges of life better when they are effectively supported by family, friends and a workforce that is relentlessly focussed on getting the very best for every young person. I invite you to join in with this programme and help us improve life for our young people, whatever their circumstances.

ENDS

For further information please contact: Leigh Dowd, CWDC press office: 0113 3907 658 or mailto:leigh.dowd@cwdcouncil.org.uk

Notes to Editors:

1. The Young People's Workforce Reform Programme has been developed with the partnership of the following organisations:

• Association of Directors of Children's Services
• Children's Workforce Development Council
• Creative and Cultural SkillsSSC
• General Teaching Council for England
• Lifelong Learning UK SSC
• National Youth Agency
• National Council of Voluntary Youth Services
• Skills Active SSC
• Skills for Health SSC
• Skills for Justice SSC
• Training and Development Agency for Schools

2.  The young people's workforce, as covered by the Programme, consists  of the over 5 million workers, voluntary and paid, in the statutory, private and Third Sector, including leaders and managers, who work with young people aged 13 - 19 and up to 25 for young people with learning difficulties or disability. It includes Youth Workers, Connexions Personal Advisers, school- and college-based Learning Mentors, Educational Welfare Officers and Attendance Workers, Youth Justice and various youth support workers. The following workers are however excluded: staff in schools, further education settings, work-based and adult and community learning settings who are directly delivering or directly assisting the delivery of formal compulsory education or post-16 education or training  and social workers and social care workers (as their training should equip them to deal with young people)

The Young People's Workforce Reform Programme will be launched at a special, free event at Queen Elizabeth II Hall, Southbank Centre, London. This will be an opportunity for up to 300 leaders, managers and influencers from across the whole workforce to come together to hear more about the reforms. There will be a forum for debate and discussion, with a "Question Time"-style session offering opportunities to pose questions to a varied panel. The day will also demonstrate how delegates can deliver lasting positive change for the young people's workforce in their local areas.

3 About the Young People's Workforce Reform Programme

CWDC, in partnership CWN and national young people's workforce organisations, including the voluntary sector, has been asked to deliver a programme to enhance and develop the young people's workforce as a part of the government's ten-year Aiming High strategy. The programme's aim is that everyone who works with young people can offer their expertise from a set of agreed and shared skills. It is an ambitious series of reforms that will:

• Provide support to strengthen leadership and management across the young people's workforce
• Further improve the skills of the Third Sector young people's workforce through a capacity building programme
• Develop a common platform of skills and competences, including a workforce-wide Skills Development Framework, apprenticeship routes and foundation degrees tailored to integrated youth support services, a Youth Professional Status (YPS) and a graduate recruitment scheme (GRS). http://www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/young-peoples-workforce

 Strengthening leadership and management

There are several programmes underway as part of the leadership and management strand, which are achieving positive results:

• The Leadership Enhancement Programme (LEP) aims to develop the skills of strategic managers in local authorities and voluntary organisations. 267 managers, split evenly between the sectors, have already benefitted, covering 90 per cent of local authority areas
• The Leadership Development Programme (LDP) aims to give public and third sector managers in senior and strategic roles the support they need to step up into formal positions of leadership. After a rigorous selection process, 150 participants, split evenly between local authorities and the voluntary sector, will participate inprogramme between January and March 2010
• The Management Development Programme (MDP) is building the knowledge of 5,000 frontline managers. More than 1,000 have already been trained, another 1,000 are currently on the programme, and a further 2,500 are signed up for future training

 Building third sector capacity

The programme will also give third sector practitioners and managers specific additional training support. This will ensure they have the same opportunities to develop their expertise as their statutory sector counterparts.

CWDC is currently inviting tenders for a national training provider or consortium to deliver or broker delivery of capacity building training to the Third Sector young people's workforce for Every Child Matters outcomes. Closing date for tenders: 27 November 2009, 1pm. If you would like more information about this tender please visit: www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/tenders. If you have any questions please e-mail tenders@cwdcouncil.org.uk quoting YH0901/005/VP  in the subject line.

Common platform of skills and competences

In addition, a platform of common skills and competences will be introduced to help create new consistency and coherence across the varied roles that make up the workforce. This includes:

• a common Skills Development Framework to be introduced in January 2010.;
• a Youth Professional Status, to recognise the highest levels of practice within the workforce subject to further consultaion with key national stakeholders; and
• common Apprenticeships, foundation degrees and a graduate recruitment scheme.

About CWDC

CWDC leads change so that the thousands of people and volunteers working with children and young people across England area able to do the best job they possibly can. We want England's children and young people's workforce to be respected by peers and professionals and valued for the positive difference it makes to children, young people and their families. We advise and work in partnership with lots of different organisations and people who want the lives of all children and young people to be healthy, happy and fulfilling. For more information visit www.cwdcouncil.org.uk 

About the Children's Workforce Network

The Children's Workforce Network is a strategic alliance committed to creating and supporting a world-class children's workforce in England. It brings together the relevant Sector Skills bodies (including the Children's Workforce Development Council), workforce reform and regulatory bodies. It is a voluntary grouping of independent partners, who recognise that collaboration will help them to achieve the more effective implementation of their individual and joint roles.

Youth Work Week

The reform programme is launching in Youth Work Week, which aims to encourage a focused period of themed activities for youth workers while raising the profile of the youth service as a whole. For further information on Youth Work Week, please contact Tim Burke at the National Youth Agency on Tel: 0116 242 7483.