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Workforce Development Snippets is an e-bulletin from the National Councilfor Voluntary Youth Services, bringing you brief snippets of news aboutpolicy, research, events, practice and resources. This e-bulletin will be ofinterest to workers responsible for upskilling staff & volunteers in thevoluntary and community youth sector e.g. training and volunteer managers,safeguarding officers, infrastructure workers.

Discussion paper - the development of the young peoples workforce A discussion paper Positive for Youth The development of the young

peoples workforce from the Department for Education (DfE) sets out theprinciple that employers must take the lead in identifying and meeting thetraining and development needs of their staff, and what government is doingto support the voluntary and community sector in doing this. The DfE isseeking views and comments to help shape a new Government policystatement on young people and services for young people. Workforcedevelopment is just one of a number of themes being debated as part of thisforthcoming youth policy document, expected to be published mid-July. Aperiod of consultation will then follow. View the discussion paper at >>http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/youngpeople/Positive%20for%20Youth/b0077531/positive-for-youth---let-us-know-your-views/the-development-of-the-young-peoples-workforce

Education Select Committee services for young people report published The Education Select Committee has published its report into services foryoung people. Pages 44 50 of the report covers the youth services

workforce - some key highlights:

(Para. 97 page 45) The Department for Education told us that it did not intend to take a view on workforce qualifications, development or regulation,stating that the Government believes that the development and recruitment of both professionals and volunteers is best addressed by professionals themselves and their employers .

(Para. 101 page 47) Many of our witnesses agreed that a blend of professionals and volunteers was most desirable, led by youth workers but harnessing the enthusiasm of volunteers.

(Para. 103 page 48) We acknowledge that the requirement to have adegree in order to acquire professional youth worker status may have had

http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/youngpeople/Positive%20for%20Youth/b0077531/positive-for-youth---let-us-know-your-views/the-development-of-the-young-peoples-workforcehttp://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/youngpeople/Positive%20for%20Youth/b0077531/positive-for-youth---let-us-know-your-views/the-development-of-the-young-peoples-workforcehttp://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/youngpeople/Positive%20for%20Youth/b0077531/positive-for-youth---let-us-know-your-views/the-development-of-the-young-peoples-workforcehttp://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/youngpeople/Positive%20for%20Youth/b0077531/positive-for-youth---let-us-know-your-views/the-development-of-the-young-peoples-workforcehttp://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/youngpeople/Positive%20for%20Youth/b0077531/positive-for-youth---let-us-know-your-views/the-development-of-the-young-peoples-workforcehttp://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/youngpeople/Positive%20for%20Youth/b0077531/positive-for-youth---let-us-know-your-views/the-development-of-the-young-peoples-workforcehttp://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/youngpeople/Positive%20for%20Youth/b0077531/positive-for-youth---let-us-know-your-views/the-development-of-the-young-peoples-workforce

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positive effects in cementing youth work as a profession. However, we are not aware of any research that shows definitively that higher levels of qualifications in youth work lead to better outcomes for young people, and it was not clear to us why a degree should be the only route into qualified youth worker status. We believe that it would be timely to review the knowledge and skills likely to be

needed by youth workers over the next decade and the range of initial training and qualifications which would help to secure these.

(Para 105. page 48) The low priority afforded to continuing professional development of the youthworkforce is concerningInvestment in continuing professional development would be particularly worthwhile in enabling practitioners to share good practice and news of working between services. The Government must engage with the questions about qualifications, training and continuous professional development which we raise in this Report, and set out how it intends positively to support the sector in developing its workforce.

(Para 110. Page 50) We did not hear sufficient evidence to convince us of the merits or otherwise of introducing a licence to practise for youth work, although we note that it does seem rather odd that other professionals working with children are subject to protection of title, when similar standards are not applied to the youth workforce. A recent proposal by youth organisations to establish an Institute for Youth Work which could set minimum standards across the sector and promote continuing

professional development, is worth further consideration.

View the report at >>http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmeduc/744/744i.pdf

Giving White Paper

The Cabinet Office has published the Giving White Paper, which seeks to make it easier and moreattractive to give time and money to good causes. Commitments in the White Paper connected toworkforce development and volunteering include:

(Page 44) A 30 million fund to improve the effectiveness of infrastructure organisations thatsupport front line organisations. One of the activities supported is staff training for new roles. (Page 32) A 10million Social Action Fund to support the most promising ideas for growing

giving in priority areas in England and boosting levels of engagement over the next two years.One activity being supported under the fund is training voluntary volunteer managers tosupport charities, including ex-civil servants.(Page 19) 1 million to support NCVYS member Youthnet which runs the volunteering website www.do-it.org.uk. (Page 27) 400,000 support from Government and NESTA to trial Spice' in England which givesvolunteers thank yous' like vouchers or discounts with local businesses when they do goodthings for the community.(Pages 41/42) Cabinet ministers will devote at least one day a year to volunteering.

More information >> http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/sites/default/files/resources/giving-white-paper.pdf

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmeduc/744/744i.pdfhttp://www.do-it.org.uk/http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/sites/default/files/resources/giving-white-paper.pdfhttp://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/sites/default/files/resources/giving-white-paper.pdfhttp://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/sites/default/files/resources/giving-white-paper.pdfhttp://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/sites/default/files/resources/giving-white-paper.pdfhttp://www.do-it.org.uk/http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmeduc/744/744i.pdf

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Offer your staff the chance to work shadow in central government The National Council for Voluntary Organisations is running their Day in the Life Work ShadowingScheme again this September. It's a unique opportunity for staff in central government and the

voluntary and community sector to step into each others shoes for a day and learn about how the other side operates. The deadline for applications is the 22 July . For more information http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/workshadowing

Recruiting unemployed volunteers and promoting support to unemployed young people Jobcentre Plus wants to increase the scale and range of voluntary sector partners co-locating in itslocal offices and has signed an agreement with the Prince's Trust to promote this offer. For thevoluntary and community youth sector (VCYS) this provides opportunities to: recruit volunteers;

promote personal development programmes and support to young people; an opportunity to work inpartnership with other organisations; and to increase the understanding of the range of support (plusany duplication) available in a local area.

Branches of national VCYS organisations may wish to join a rota of organisations staffing an enquirydesk and local networks may wish to promote the opportunity to their local members. For a list ofparticipating Job Centres and for more information go to your local jobcentre plus partnership manageror contact Terry King, email: Terry.King@princes-trust.org.uk , call 0113 2327604 or 07876791435.The NCVYS contact for this project is Nichola Brown, email nichola@ncvys.org.uk.

Why volunteer management requires specific skills Skills Third-Sector within the position statement paper Why volunteer management requires specific skills warns Not understanding the different skills needed to manage volunteers and how they differfrom managing paid staff, can lead to poor quality services for the people who use the services, poorvolunteering experiences for volunteers and, at worst, can lay organisations open to legal prosecutionand industrial tribunals. Read the full paper at >> http://www.skills-thirdsector.org.uk/news_media/news/position_statement_why_volunteer_management_requires

_specific_skills/

Youth Work courses CYPNow has reported that a lack of funding and a shortage of placements are posing problems forproviders of youth work courses. There is concern that changes to the teaching grant, which will takeplace from September 2012, "will mean that relatively unprofitable courses such as youth andcommunity work may struggle to survive." The CYPNow report also suggests that cuts in publicspending are having a negative impact on youth work placements.http://www.cypnow.co.uk/Careers/article/1074682/youth-work-courses-feel-squeeze/?DCMP=EMC-CONCYPNow%20Daily. NCVYS is urging its members to do everything itcan to offer work placements to students.

http://mxm.mxmfb.com/rsps/ct/c/486/r/52097/l/61079http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/workshadowinghttp://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/workshadowinghttp://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/workshadowinghttp://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/workshadowingmailto:Terry.King@princes-trust.org.ukmailto:Terry.King@princes-trust.org.ukmailto:Terry.King@princes-trust.org.ukmailto:nichola@ncvys.org.ukmailto:nichola@ncvys.org.ukhttp://www.skills-thirdsector.org.uk/news_media/news/position_statement_why_volunteer_management_requires_specific_skills/http://www.skills-thirdsector.org.uk/news_media/news/position_statement_why_volunteer_management_requires_specific_skills/http://www.skills-thirdsector.org.uk/news_media/news/position_statement_why_volunteer_management_requires_specific_skills/http://www.skills-thirdsector.org.uk/news_media/news/position_statement_why_volunteer_management_requires_specific_skills/http://www.cypnow.co.uk/Careers/article/1074682/youth-work-courses-feel-squeeze/?DCMP=EMC-CONCYPNow%20Dailyhttp://www.cypnow.co.uk/Careers/article/1074682/youth-work-courses-feel-squeeze/?DCMP=EMC-CONCYPNow%20Dailyhttp://www.cypnow.co.uk/Careers/article/1074682/youth-work-courses-feel-squeeze/?DCMP=EMC-CONCYPNow%20Dailyhttp://www.cypnow.co.uk/Careers/article/1074682/youth-work-courses-feel-squeeze/?DCMP=EMC-CONCYPNow%20Dailyhttp://www.skills-thirdsector.org.uk/news_media/news/position_statement_why_volunteer_management_requires_specific_skills/http://www.skills-thirdsector.org.uk/news_media/news/position_statement_why_volunteer_management_requires_specific_skills/http://www.skills-thirdsector.org.uk/news_media/news/position_statement_why_volunteer_management_requires_specific_skills/mailto:nichola@ncvys.org.ukmailto:Terry.King@princes-trust.org.ukhttp://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/workshadowinghttp://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/workshadowinghttp://mxm.mxmfb.com/rsps/ct/c/486/r/52097/l/61079

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Subsidised training to increase the number of Londoners working and volunteering in the sports sector The Mayors Sports Legacy Fund subsidises the cost of training to increase the number of Londonersworking and volunteering in sports and physical activity, and to up-skill those already involved, leadingup to the 2012 Games. The fund is being managed by The National Skills Academy for Sport andActive Leisure. 75% off courses in coaching and officiating, community sport, volunteering, leisure,health and disability sport are available. NCVYS member Fairbridge Training is one of the approvedquality assured training providers offering courses such as: relationship building with young people;working more effectively with difficult behaviour; and tackling knife crime. More information >>http://www.sportactivensa.co.uk/mayors-sports-legacy-fund . For details of Fairbridge Trainingscourses email >> Annalisa.Monzione@FairbridgeTraining.co.uk

Do you know of any individuals who can share details of their learning journey?

NCVYS is looking for workers who work front-line with young people (in either a statutory or voluntarysetting) who they can interview about their learning journey. We are looking to find out about thelearning journeys of people across a variety of roles. If you know of anyone who is willing to beinterviewed please email nichola@ncvys.org.uk

Use of skilled volunteers to plug skills gaps A survey of 570 voluntary organisations throughout the UK has highlighted the most significantchallenges they are facing and the skills they need to meet them. The research, carried out by Reach

Volunteering, identifies three priority areas in which the sector is short on skills: income generation,strategic decision-making and trustee boards (governance). Now, charities are being challenged tothink more creatively about using skilled volunteers to plug a potentially damaging skills gap.http://www.reachskills.org.uk/newsletter-june2011-skills-shortages

Stressed employees remaining silent As advised by NCVO: New research from Mind says that stressed employees are remaining silent forfear that speaking out will put their job in jeopardy. They say mental health is too often ignored with 1in 6 workers experiencing depression, anxiety or stress. http://www.mind.org.uk/employment

Federation for Detached Youth Work Conference This years conference theme is Street work: Achieving aims, maintaining values and developing effective practices in an era of austerity. It takes place 11 13 November in Staffordshire. Moreinformation email fdyw@nya.org.uk or go to www.detachedyouthwork.info

This bulletin is prepared by the National Council for Voluntary Youth Services. Please contact Nichola Brown at NCVYS for more details - email nichola@ncvys.org.uk If you forward the bulletin to other people or use information from it in your own publications,please make sure that NCVYS is credited.

Disclaimer NCVYS is not responsible for the contents or reliability of linked websites provided in this bulletin and does not necessarily endorse the views expressed within them. We cannot guarantee that these web links will work all of the time and we have no control over availability of the linked pages.The bulletin reader assumes full responsibility for using the information provided in this bulletin, and neither NCVYS nor any of its employees is responsible or liable for any claim, loss or damage resulting from the use of this information.

http://www.sportactivensa.co.uk/mayors-sports-legacy-fundhttp://www.sportactivensa.co.uk/mayors-sports-legacy-fundmailto:Annalisa.Monzione@FairbridgeTraining.co.ukmailto:Annalisa.Monzione@FairbridgeTraining.co.ukmailto:Annalisa.Monzione@FairbridgeTraining.co.ukmailto:nichola@ncvys.org.ukmailto:nichola@ncvys.org.ukmailto:nichola@ncvys.org.ukhttp://www.reachskills.org.uk/newsletter-june2011-skills-shortageshttp://www.reachskills.org.uk/newsletter-june2011-skills-shortageshttp://mxm.mxmfb.com/rsps/ct/c/486/r/52097/l/61093http://www.mind.org.uk/employmenthttp://www.mind.org.uk/employmenthttp://www.mind.org.uk/employmentmailto:fdyw@nya.org.ukmailto:fdyw@nya.org.ukmailto:fdyw@nya.org.ukhttp://www.detachedyouthwork.info/http://www.detachedyouthwork.info/mailto:nichola@ncvys.org.ukmailto:nichola@ncvys.org.ukmailto:nichola@ncvys.org.ukmailto:nichola@ncvys.org.ukhttp://www.detachedyouthwork.info/mailto:fdyw@nya.org.ukhttp://www.mind.org.uk/employmenthttp://mxm.mxmfb.com/rsps/ct/c/486/r/52097/l/61093http://www.reachskills.org.uk/newsletter-june2011-skills-shortagesmailto:nichola@ncvys.org.ukmailto:Annalisa.Monzione@FairbridgeTraining.co.ukhttp://www.sportactivensa.co.uk/mayors-sports-legacy-fund