Youth work takes a holistic approach when working with young people and the relationship between young people and a youth worker is entirely voluntary.
We work with young people aged between 11 and 18 (up to 25 years) supporting them to enhance their personal and social development and to enable them to have a voice, to be able to influence the world around them and to have a positive place in their communities. Youth Workers offer young people safe spaces to explore their identity, experience decision-making, increase their confidence, develop inter-personal skills and think through the consequences of their actions. This leads to better informed choices, changes in activity and improved outcomes for young people.
These provide a central network point for other clubs and youth projects enabling young people to access a wide scope of leisure and informal education activities.
Programmes at our Youth Centres include holiday provision, information advice and guidance on a number of issues such as sexual health and substance misuse, opportunities to take part in sports and other activities.
All the above is offered within a safe and welcoming environment.
If you would like to enquire about booking a youth centre or find out about the activities that we run at Meadow Rd please contact the main office on 01384 815174 or email YouthService.Cs@dudley.gov.uk
Detached youth work is a valuable service in its own right and should not be viewed as an add on to regular youth activities. As with all youth work one fundamental principle remains constant; the young people engage on a voluntary basis, that is to say workers are there by informal invitation.
Dudley’s detached youth work aims to;
Focus on harder to reach young people with an emphasis on issue-based locations.
Make services as accessible as possible
Target support on those young people facing multiple needs and disadvantage
Empower, support and enable participation as active citizens.
Support young people to be heard
Support young people to develop positive relationships with others
Support young people to understand issues of social diversity and how it effects themselves and others
Encourage young people to make safer, healthier life choices.
We work across the borough 5 evenings per week and in locations identified as needing greater engagement with young people and partners. The work may take several weeks or several months depending on the identified need.
Accreditations
A DofE programme is a real adventure from beginning to end. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from, you just need to be aged between 14 and 24. Within Dudley there are a variety of groups running the programme - open, school based or attached to a uniformed group i.e. scouts.
There are three levels of Duke of Edinburgh's award - Bronze, Silver or Gold. You achieve your Award by completing a personal programme of activities in four sections (five if you're going for Gold!) - Volunteering, Physical, Skills, Expedition and for Gold, a Residential too. You'll find yourself helping people or the community, getting fitter and developing life skills.
Your programme can be full of activities and projects that get you buzzing, and along the way you’ll pick up experiences, friends and talents that will stay with you for the rest of your life.
Your school or college may have a DofE group you could join. If not or they are full, then there are voluntary groups.
ASDAN Short courses are designed to give flexible access to certificate a wide range of activities that can take place in schools, colleges, youth centres, informal education, referral units and training provisions.
There are no age restrictions for the Short Course Awards, although the main focus is on the 13-19 age groups.
The Short Course Awards are straightforward to achieve and there is minimal paperwork.
Participants work from an Awards record book, which contains a choice of challenges.
In general, challenges are completed over 30 hours or 60 hours, which corresponds to three or six credits (10 hours = one credit).
A Portfolio of Evidence is collated containing evidence of planning and reviewing, a summary of key skill development, a record of progress and pieces of evidence for each challenge.
After internal moderation the award supervisor submits a list of successful candidates’ names to ASDAN, who then issue certificates to the centre.
The Bronze Award is a preparatory level award that provides an introduction and stepping stone to achieving the Certificate of Personal Effectiveness (CoPE).
Youth Voice
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child provides a set of principles and standards, spanning civil and political as well as social, economic and cultural rights that have international endorsement. It was ratified by the UK Government in 1991. Article 3 of the UNCRC states the duty in all actions to consider the best interests of the child and Article 12 states that all children have the right to express views on all matters of concern to them and to have those views taken seriously.
Democracy and decision making is as important for young people as anyone else. It is often the case that young people struggle to have their views taken into account, and Youth Services work with young people to support them in having a voice in areas that concern them. This takes place through Local Youth Forums, authority-wide Youth Councils, project/unit level committees, as well as through unconventional practices that aren’t committee based.
Dudley is part of a West Midlands-wide Youth Work network which seeks to share good practice, provide peer support and bring young people together to enhance Youth Voice delivery.
This youth council was set up in 1997 and is supported by the Youth Service. DYC is a group of young people aged 11-19 (and up to 25 for those with a disability) who work to improve things for all young people in the borough.
DYC provides the Council and other organisations with the opportunity to work with young people on borough wide policies as well as offering the young people a forum to discuss issues which affect them and other young people.
Young people are supported to manage DYC through a management committee, constitution and electing to have thematic sub groups that progress identified campaigns and projects.
Members of the Youth Parliament (MYPs) are elected locally and supported by their constituency. There are 359 seats across 201 constituencies.
a) Any young person aged 11-18 can stand to be an MYP. b) An MYP must stand down on their 19th birthday. Persons aged 19 and over will not be able to attend national events such as the Annual Sitting and the House of Commons.
Dudley has 2 elected Members of Youth Parliament who stand for 2 years.
The role includes:
• promote the positive work of UKYP • attend and participate in all BYC Conventions; Annual Siting and the UKYP House of Commons Sitting • create UKYP policy and campaigns • meet regularly with other youth councils and forums in their area • speak on behalf of their constituents • take the views of their constituents to BYC Conventions, the Annual Sitting and the House of Commons Sitting and report on local campaigns • ensure that the work of UKYP is not affiliated with any political party to find out more please contact YouthService.Cs@dudley.gov.uk
The Children in Care Council in Dudley is called Make a Difference and supports young people in care to have a say on issues that matter to them.
The group members are all looked after children / young people aged 11-18 who meet every two weeks to discuss topics they feel are important, and to provide an opportunity to get their views heard by adult decision makers.
We do lots of different things which include:
Writing and sending newsletters, updates and questionnaires to young people
Representing young people’s views on issues that affect their lives
Organising events for young people in care so they can have their say
Designing a website for looked after young people
Working with other organisations to make sure looked after young people’s voices are heard
Regular activities to celebrate our work
Attending events in the West Midlands and elsewhere in the country too
Having FUN!!
If you are looked after or a care leaver and are interested in getting involved, please contact Darren Foley (Participation Officer - Children Looked After/Care Leavers) 01384 815172 or darren.foley@dudley.gov.uk
The Care Leavers Forum is open to people aged 16+ who are leaving care in Dudley and provides them with the chance to have a say in the way services are provided. The project is committed to enabling care leavers to participate in decision making processes in order to inform and improve services for all care leavers.
If you are looked after or a care leaver and are interested in getting involved, please contact Darren Foley (Participation Officer - Children Looked After/Care Leavers) 01384 815172 or darren.foley@dudley.gov.uk.
