Workforce Development

The Regional Youth Work Unit has for many years been the regional co-ordinator for initial youth work training at local authority level. Originally this was within the structure of the Regional Accreditation and Moderation Panel (RAMP), with each local authority developing and delivering their own Basic Youth Work Course. Following the demise of the RAMP structure in 2003 and the introduction of an NVQ/VRQ structure, a decision was made to continue with a similar local and regional structure. The Regional Youth Work Unit registered as a training centre with ABC training and co-ordinated the delivery of both the NVQ and VRQ level 2 in youth work. By April 2005, over 400 candidates were registered through the Unit.

The introduction of an NVQ/VRQ structure brought about significant change and a number of concerns for local authority training officers in the region. The key issues were–

• The enormous drain on youth service staff resources to deliver and assess the new training programme
• The need to get qualified assessors in place to support the training programme
• The lack of experience in co-ordinating a VRQ/NVQ training course
• The need to get financial resources to support the training courses
• The backlog created by candidates taking longer to complete the training course than anticipated

In order to address these issues, the Unit explored a number of possibilities to create a more efficient and sustainable approach to initial youth training. The Unit organised a series of meetings between Youth Services, FE colleges and the LSC to begin dialogue on how any future programme may develop. 2 new training sub groups in the north and south of the region have emerged, supported by the Regional Unit. These sub groups have led on to the development of a number of partnerships with FE colleges or adult education departments in the region. The new training programmes are drawing on the experience of training providers with a long history of delivering NVQs, whilst ensuring that youth work values are embedded into the programmes. They will have access to greater resources and present a more sustainable framework for initial youth training in the region.

The Regional Youth Work Unit has played a key role in the strategic development of these new courses, as well as a number of other areas of workforce development. We have worked closely with the University of Sunderland on how full time training will need to change in the next 3 years, as well as working with other regional partners on the needs of the new integrated framework for services to children and young people. Workforce development will continue to be a priority issue for Youth Services, and the Unit is able to support local initiatives by our work at a regional and national level.

For more information about the Regional Training and Development Group click here.

For further details, contact Leon Mexter on 0191 440 4410 or at leon@rywu.org.uk