Time 4 Young People
Anyone who believes that additional
investment in traditional youth
services will prepare the younger
generation for a better future is either
a mad man or a youth worker.
The Old Conversation
The entertainers (youth
workers) and the entertained
(young people)
Diversionary Activity
Keeping young people off the streets and
out of the community. Herding young
people into youth sheds. Defining them
as passive beneficiaries of high quality
recreational and informal educational
activity
Some Key Questions
1.How does this service connect young people with the
community
2.How much social energy- active young citizenship does this public investment in the youth service
generate.
3.Are tax payers getting good value for money?
Changing the conversation between youth
provider and service user
1) A Wet Wednesday Evening in the Rhonnda
2) The Saturday Morning Test
3) The Hard to Reach
Lessons
1) Stop giving things away free to children in
need
2) Stop rewarding the bad behaviour of the
children in need
3) Establish a level playing field – no mixed
messages
T4YP: Brief Methodology
Step 1: How can we measure
active young citizenship
Time Audit of youth services
Step 2: Young people design projects for the
next 12months
Step 3: Calculate total new active hours for the
next 12 months
Step 4: Construct a Time In and Time Out Menu
Step 5: Launch T4YP project
The New Conversation between
youth service providers and young
people should be based on
a. Membership
b. Mutuality
c. Active Young Citizenship
Case Study
Bettws Youth Time Bank
Bettws Local Authority Public Housing Estate:
Problem areas to address
•
•
•
Top of the Levels of anti-social behaviour ( highest out of 39 wards ) in the
Borough
Poor relationships between young people and police
High levels of youth disengagement
Bringing together all the service providers in a
locality with an interest in young people.
Breaking down the silos by collaborative
working.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Boys & Girls Club ( young people & staff )
Bridgend Police Force
Communities First ( community members)
School
Valleys to Coast ( Housing Association)
Creation Development Trust
Healthy Living Centre
A Memorandum of Understanding
• To engage young people in community projects
(active young citizenship ).
• Engage young people in project planning and
decision making.
• Improve relationships between young people,
police, other agencies & community
• Reduce levels of anti-social behaviour
• Thank young people for their contribution
Methodology
• Time audit of active young citizenship
• Programmes that address issues in the community
• Youth Challenge Fund – young people producing
events in the community
• Building the membership of T4YP
• Young people design programmes for the next 12
months
1.Build Membership
Members
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Jan- Feb- Mar- Apr- May- Jun07
07
07
07
07
07
Jul- Aug- Sep- Oct- Nov- Dec07
07
07
07
07
07
2. Time Banking (Mutuality)
One hour of active citizenship = 1 time credit
TIME IN
• Participating in environmental projects
• Attending PACT & Communities First meetings
• Anti-bulling projects in school
• Organising events in the community
TIME OUT
• Time Quiz/Bingo
• Family Bus
• Family Day
3. Hours of active young citizenship
Hours
6000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
Jan- Feb- Mar- Apr- May- Jun07
07
07
07
07
07
Jul- Aug- Sep- Oct- Nov- Dec07
07
07
07
07
07
Evaluation Framework
Quantitative analysis
• Number of new members
• Number of new active hours contributed
• Number of new events and activities
Qualitative analysis
• Focus groups with young people
• Interviews with Police and other stakeholders
• New people, new activities, new places (measuring
social inclusion)
Change of Culture
Passive
PassiveEngagement
Engagement
Active
ActiveEngagement
Engagement
Youth
LedLed
YouthWorker
Worker
Youth Led
Youth
Led
Beneficiary
of Service
Beneficiary
of Service
Co
Co-producer
of Service
Client
Client
Member
Member
Individualism
Individualism
Mutualism
Mutualism
Outcomes
• 17% reduction in anti-social levels over 6
months
• Improved relationships between young
people and Police
• Increased levels of active young citizenship
• Ownership and pride in local community
• Positive image promoted of young people
Experience
“Timebanking has helped me take an interest in the community. Before I just used to
go to the youth club.”
Young Person, Bettws Boys and Girls Club
“Results arising from the scheme in Bettws, such as increased community
reassurance, lower crime, community empowerment, community trust,
improved social networks and increased community intelligence are
extremely successful .”
Sergeant A. Bennett, Community Safety Officer - Bridgend
“We are now including Time Banking into our training programme for new police
recruits”
Dr. Ena Hoctor, Police Sciences Department - University of Glamorgan
It is not additional resources that we need
to prepare the younger generation for a
better future, it is a change of conversation
that defines young people as active agents
of social change.