Resolved:

(1)       That the report (GP 03/0910) on the implementation of the Youth Opportunity and Youth Capital Funds in 2009/10 be noted; and

(2)       That the Youth Opportunity Fund Initiative be given a double page spread in the East End Life Magazine promoting the scheme. That the Deputy Leader of the Council be requested to implement this recommendation.

Action by:

CORPORATE DIRECTOR, CHILDREN SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES (K. COLLINS)

Service Head, Youth and Community Learning, Children's Schools and Families (M. Durkin).

Head of Youth and Connexions Services, Children's Schools and Families Services (D. Hossain)

Mr Dinar Hussain (Head of Youth Services and Connextions Services) introduced the report highlighting the salient points.

Mr Hussain reported that in 2009/10 Tower Hamlets had been allocated £427,000 for the Youth Opportunity Fund  £125,320 additional Youth Opportunity Fund through the Mayor’s Offer and £183,600 for the Youth Capital Fund.

He reported that officers from youth services worked closely with the Youth Opportunity Fund (YOF) and Youth Capital Fund Panel to develop and administer  the funds. The representatives were recruited from across the Borough and have received accredited training in grant making. 

Ms Antonia Dixey (Children and Young Peoples Participation Officer), welcomed to the meeting Anisah Akther, Nargis Begum, Tahabur Rahman who were present to report on the work of the YOF and their involvement in the initiative. 

The representatives reported on how they heard about the Youth Opportunity Panel (YOF), how they got involved in the initiative, the training they had received, the shortlistings process, and made number of recommendations for future action.

In reply to questions from Members, it was reported that the YOF consisted of representatives from all eight LAP areas with two from each LAP area.  When assessing the applications, the Panel endeavoured to award equal funding to each LAP. Every single project was given an equal chance and if they were unsuccessful would be referred to Youth Bank Tower Hamlets for help and support through funding factory programmes. All of the applicants were offered support during every stage of the process and were given feedback.

The YOF had a very good relationship with the Young Mayor’s Team. The Young Mayor regularly attends YOF meetings. The Young Mayor  was preparing a report for the Council and a section of that report will be devoted to the YOF.

In relation to monitoring, it was noted that conditions were put on projects and the YOF representatives also visited the successful projects to ensure compliance with the conditions. There was also surprise visits and mystery shopping. The Young Inspectors also participated in the schemes to assess performance. They also checked the accounts and attendance records of the successful projects and training was provided to ensure the projects were delivering value for money and offered a diverse range of services. The funding was allocated incrementally and the final part was only allocated when all parts of the criteria had been satisfied. For this year, there were three rounds of funding in paired LAP areas.

The young persons representatives reported on some of their favourite YOF projects.  A breakdown of costs per funding round and LAP area was before the Grants Panel.

In reply to questions about the under spend on some of the  LAP area budgets,  Ms Dixey reported that the service placed adverts promoting the scheme in the East End Life and visited schools and other young persons venues in every LAP area to ensure they were made aware of the scheme.  Each paired LAP had been allocated the same amount of funding. The Grants Panel noted that Round 3 was to run between 2 October and 2 December  2009 and the applications would be short listed next Wednesday (21^st October 2009) The Grants Panel were invited to attend one of the YOF presentation evenings for round 3 to be held in November 2009.

In the event the YOF budget for this year was under spent,  it was anticipated that they may start commissioning new projects, building on the 2012 review and Joint Area Review, and may also approach projects that had previously been successful with a view to asking them to do further work in the LAP areas. Ms Dixey reported that any under spend would be invested back into the local community where there was most need.

Councillor Ohid Ahmed expressed concern over the unevenness in spread of provision per LAP area. He considered that visits should be paid to schools and all LAP areas and marginalised groups should be targeted. He considered that this should be carried out at an early stage in the process to ensure that each LAP area received an equal amount of funding and that groups were offered support from alternative sources.

Turning to the Panel’s recommendations and the Grants Panel role in the YOF process, the YOF representatives reported that from the third round onwards, the representatives themselves would contact the applicants to inform them of the Panel’s decision on their application, rather than officers.

In terms of future funding, the YOF expressed a wish to have a greater pot of funding.  Ms Dixey referred to potential sources of future funding for the projects and that the YOF were working to secure further funding. They had also carried out work with the Find Your Talent Initiative. The Panel had taken on responsibility for coordinating the various potential funding streams.

The YOF representatives expressed a wish to undertake its own Borough wide project to lead on delivery. The Grants Panel discussed what this may focus on. It was considered that this could focus on a number of key themes such as healthy eating and lifestyles. The Grants Panel could have a role in determining what the YOF’s own project could focus on.  In addition if the commissioning budget is under spent, the Grants Panel could also help determine how this could be spent.

In terms of publicity, the Grants Panel considered ways of raising awareness of the scheme to inform and celebrate the projects they had funded. Accordingly Councillor Francis proposed the following additional recommendation to that set out in the report for the consideration of the Grants Panel as follows:

“That the Youth Opportunity Fund Initiative be given a double page spread in the East End Life Magazine to inform and celebrate the projects they had funded”

Councillor Francis thanked the YOF representatives for giving up their  valuable time and also extended his thanks, on behalf of the Grants Panel, to the many young people who had contributed to the assessment process and hoped that they would stay involved and more young people would continue to get involved in the Youth Opportunity Fund initiative.

The Chair Moved the recommendations as set out in the report and it was: -

Resolved:

(1)       That the report (GP 03/0910) on the implementation of the Youth Opportunity and Youth Capital Funds in 2009/10 be noted; and

(2)       That the Youth Opportunity Fund Initiative be given a double page spread in the East End Life Magazine to inform and celebrate the projects they had funded.