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STATES OF JERSEY
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GOVERNMENT PLAN 2020–2023 (P.71/2019): ELEVENTH AMENDMENT (P.71/2019 Amd.(11)) – COMMENTS
Presented to the States on 22nd November 2019 by the Council of Ministers
STATES GREFFE
2019 P.71 Amd.(11)Com.
COMMENTS
Deputy I. Gardiner of St. Helier proposes the following in part 1 of her amendment P.71/2019 Amd.(11) –
1 PAGE 2, PARAGRAPH (c) –
After the words "of the Report" insert the words ", except that in Summary Table 3(i) the Head of Expenditure for Children, Young People, Education and Skills shall be increased by £53,000 to allow for the Youth Service to employ an additional full-time assistant youth worker for the Move on' project which will allow them to continue to operate and meet the increased need, with other affected lines in Summary Table 3(i) to be updated accordingly; and to request the Minister for Treasury and Resources to investigate whether the additional spending can be funded from the Criminal Offences Confiscation Fund or other similar Fund if possible and, if not, then from the Consolidated Fund".
The Council of Ministers opposes this proposal and urges States Members to reject the amendment.
Deputy Gardiner 's amendment requests funding for a second, full-time Assistant Youth Worker to expand and engage with more vulnerable teenagers on the streets of Jersey; however, this is not what the funding would ultimately enable. Instead, the funding would end up being used to continue with existing arrangements (one full-time Assistant Youth Worker), and would fill a funding gap that is expected to come about in April 2020.
The reason for this position is a renewal of the Youth Service and Parish partnership is due to come about in April 2020, and our Principal Youth Officer has been informed to expect the St. Helier Youth and Community Trust to reduce funding for the Move on' Café.
For the past 10 years, the Parish of St. Helier Youth Committee has supported a number of youth projects in St. Helier , such as La Pouquelaye and First Tower Youth projects, and also the Move on' Café, for the sum of approximately £85,000.
Over the past 2 years, the St. Helier Youth Committee has been developed into the St. Helier Youth and Community Trust, with a wide remit of work to support.
In light of these changes, the Committee have informed us of their intention to reduce the funding to Youth Projects in St. Helier , and while it is still committed to First Tower and La Pouquelaye Youth Club, it feels that the support to the Move on' Café will stop in April 2020.
The current support is for an Assistant Youth Worker and £10,000 towards the rent that the Youth Service pay to Sandpiper C.I.
The withdrawal of this funding will see the post of Assistant Youth Worker removed, the impact being the closure of some sessions that the café opens, and a reduction of work carried out on the streets of St. Helier .
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P.71/2019 Amd.(11)Com.
The group of young people that use the Move on' Project need a place where they can meet with peers, have staff available to talk with, and a skilled team to deal with many safeguarding issues. Also, staff from the Move on' Café provide the outreach team that work out on the streets of St. Helier to support those young people who do not want to engage, or when large events are taking place in St. Helier that will attract a large group of young people, such as the Fun Fair, under-18 discos, and hotspots of anti-social behaviour within the town area.
The Minister for Education, with the full support of the Council of Ministers, feels that the decision by the St. Helier Youth and Community Trust is unfortunate, and puts at risk the good joint partnering work that exists with the Youth Service and Parishes elsewhere.
There will be a proactive attempt to address the position, we have only recently been informed of, leading up to the renewal of the partnership agreement. Working closely and effectively with the Trust and St. Helier representatives to secure the offering for our young people at the Move on' Café is extremely important, but the decision needs to be made through negotiation and discussion with the relevant stakeholders, and we therefore ask the Assembly to reject this amendment.
Part 2 of this amendment has been amended by the Council of Ministers (see P.71/2019 Amd.(11)Amd.(2), lodged 19th November 2019.
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P.71/2019 Amd.(11)Com.