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this from "Young People Now"
Youth workers in Cheshire are at loggerheads with the council over plans to outsource the county's youth service.
Cheshire County Council's Conservative executive decided last week to recommend the transfer of its youth service to a separate company, merging it with Connexions in the area. The company would be owned by Cheshire County and Warrington Borough councils and run by a board of council and Connexions representatives.

If the council backs the recommendation next Thursday, it will mean the creation of an integrated service by April next year, with a budget of about £12m and employing 350 staff.  more here

Budget 2006 announced that the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review would be informed by a series of policy reviews, one of which was a review of children and young people, building on the Government's strategy to improve their outcomes. Terms of reference of the Review.

A discussion paper, published on 9 January 2007, reports on the evidence that has been gathered to date to inform the Review of Children and Young People. It also provides a discussion of the issues and challenges raised by that evidence.

Policy Review of Children and Young People: A discussion paper (HTML format, 32 Kb)

This from "Young People Now" 

Drugs advice can be a minefield for youth workers who want to protect young people but not break the law. John Plummer asks the specialists what information staff should and should not provide to young people.

Knowing what to do when a young person is found taking drugs is one of the hardest challenges youth workers face.

Everything ranging from the young person's welfare to the law, privacy, health, ethics and the drug policy of the premises where the incident took place has to be considered. Yet despite the acute sensitivity of the situation, little guidance exists. more

Youth Clubs Hampshire and Isle of Wight are looking for 2  Active Citizenship Development Officers 15 Hours per Week, £10,714pa

This is your chance to be involved in this exciting and innovative project planning and delivering a wide variety of sessions in a range of different youth work settings

They are seeking two locally qualified youth workers to become part of our expanding Active Citizenship team.

For more information or an application pack please call 01962 852307 or email ce.ychiow@ukonline.co.uk

The first 40 Respect areas that will receive extra cash to tackle antisocial behaviour were announced today by home secretary John Reid.

Chosen local authorities have signed up to a range of measures including family intervention projects. They will receive £6m of Department for Education and Skills funding to run parenting classes in 2007/08.

The number of antisocial behaviour orders issued has almost tripled since 2003, government figures published today show.

There were 4,060 Asbos issued in 2005, up from 3,440 in 2004 and 1,336 in 2003, an increase of a 203.9 per cent, according to the Respect task force. The figures brings the total number of Asbos issued since the orders were first introduced in 1999 to 9,853.

Connexions have now issued invitations to tender. See previous post for detail.

Further information can be seen on Connexions web site www.connexions-soutcentral.org. Click on the exchange button at the foot of the page. Sign in with "vcs" and password "pass"

What equipment do young people want in their youth clubs? Young People Nowasked 60 of them and these were the top answers they gave.

Were you aware that there is a young person’s version of Hampshire’s Children and Young People’s Plan. You can have a look at it on the web

Would you like to have some copies of this to distribute to the young people you come into contact with?

If you would like a supply of this informative booklet let me know how many and where they should be delivered.

Your help is needed.

Consistently "lack of transport" is cited as a major issue for young people. Community Action Hampshire are currently running a project to examine the barriers to services for children and young people causes by lack of transport.

A consultant has been appointed and he would like to talk to groups of young people about this issue. The County Council have "bought into" the project.

Can you help? Can he come to one of your regular meetings and run a focus group?

Please contact Jo Dixon at Community Action Hampshire 01962 857354.

Save the Children and British Gas have announced the next funding round of the here to HELP Awards - up to £1,000 for projects by young people that help make their communities healthier, more engaging, safer places to be. The next deadline for completed applications is FRIDAY 23 MARCH 2007 - with funded projects expected to take place between June and September 2007.

Their website has full details of the here to HELP Awards - and there is an online application process, or the option to download a hard-copy of the application form.