DCSF announces Young Inspector Service

Government will spend £4.5 million on new scheme to assess youth services

Teams of young people will be supported by a third sector organisation to scrutinise local activities and youth services in a new £4.5 million pilot scheme announced by Children and Young People’s Minister Beverley Hughes.

The Young Inspector service will be piloted in up to 36 Local Authorities across the country. Around 30 young people in each Local Authority, drawn from the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods, will be trained to have a real influence and voice in assessing the quality of their local youth services, such as careers advice and leisure, based on robust standards that young people themselves will devise.

Under the scheme, the teams of Young Inspectors will:

• Inspect their local activities, from a young person’s perspective;

• Have a greater role in scrutinising their Local Authority’s youth services;

• Make recommendations for improvement to senior management, and;

• Assess their local information, advice and guidance services.

Beverley Hughes, Minister for Children and Young People, said:

“I am calling on third sector organisations to take part in the Young Inspector scheme which offers a fantastic opportunity for young people to really influence services that affect them in their local areas. This scheme empowers young people to help their communities by making sure that services respond to what young people need. By allowing young people who may be otherwise marginalised, to assess their services, we are helping to nourish important leadership skills and offer them new experiences and aspirations. This scheme will help young people to see that they can make a real difference to their lives and the lives of those around them.”

Third sector organisations are invited to bid to work with Government Offices and Local Authorities to develop and implement the Young Inspector scheme.

W: www.dcsf.gov.uk
E:  info@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
T:  0870 000 2288

Editor's Notes
This press notice relates to 'England'
1. The Department for Children Schools and Families has commenced a procurement exercise to appoint a suitably qualified third sector organisation to work with Local Authority areas to develop and implement the pilots. Further information and the procurement specification are available for interested third sector organisations at: http://ysdf.ecotec.com/. The closing date for receipt of full proposals from third sector organisations is 23rd January 2009.

2. The successful TSO will be appointed in February, and will initially work with Government Offices to carry out preliminary scoping work, to identify suitable Local Authorities to take part in the pilot, and determine what will work best in a given area. The Young Inspector service will be trialled from April 2009 to March 2011.

Press Notice 2008/0257