Here for Youth

Why We Do It

Our Rationale

We are committed to developing and delivering services which are in line with existing key messages in the agenda for children’s services, that is, a whole child/whole system approach to meeting needs and a focus on better outcomes for children and families.

Our Vision

Our vision is for a fair, equitable and supportive society that cherishes all young people, their potential and their abilities.

Our Aim

Our overall aim is to assist in the personal, social, spiritual and educational development of young people, particularly those who are experiencing disadvantage and social exclusion; to enable them to exercise greater control over their lives by empowering them to make active choices and decisions, to exercise responsibility and to contribute to the development of their community, environment and society.

Our Objectives

We have six key objectives:

  1. To research and identify the needs and issues affecting young people and service users.
  2. To promote and initiate creative volunteer driven community-based responses to the needs and issues identified.
  3. To co-ordinate, support and develop an integrated youth service encompassing youth work, special projects and special services.
  4. To provide education and training to equip those involved in service delivery with the necessary knowledge and skills to successfully engage and work with young people.
  5. To support the progress of youth work through the provision of facilities and resources.
  6. To promote the importance of youth work at a local, regional and national level.

Our Outcomes

We envisage a number of overarching outcomes:

  1. A high-quality, needs-based service will be implemented
  2. A specific focus on the needs of individuals will be achieved
  3. Practice will be based on clear models of work and evaluated through evidence-based indicators and a quality framework
  4. The professional competence of staff will be enhanced through the delivery of relevant training and effective line management
  5. Service impacts will be optimised through integration and co-ordination of local service responses
  6. The quality, range and scope of service delivery will increase through the availability of a regional network of purpose-built or customised centres
  7.  Young people and the wider community will have a stronger voice in the organisation’s governance