Transformation, Consolidation
Partnership & Sustainability
YFWM AGM & Regional Review
“Every aspect of our organisation has grown and our current financial position is healthier than it has ever been”
Collective voices are often stronger than isolated local ones and the networks of partners and stakeholders that YFWM supports and participates in are vital in keeping youth work on the agenda of local regional and national policy making. During the year we have extended our reach and engagement with all 14 of the local authorities in our region and have strengthened the networking and collaboration with all the other regional youth work units across the country, leading to joint working on both lobbying and specific delivery projects.
I also used the words “adapt and survive” last year, but as an organisation I think we have gone beyond that stage and have adapted and grown very effectively. This has required significant change, and that has continued throughout the year. Changes nationally have meant that our role in supporting and delivering Youth Voice work is now even more significant than it was before whilst our Training Centre has continued to be crucial in addressing the challenges of workforce development for the sector.
Paul Finnemore – Chair
We are pleased with our training partnership capacity building programme, working both in Birmingham with Ed Wright at BAYC and in Worcestershire with Brad Edmunds of pershore Riverside and with Young Solutions. The organisations are now able to deliver and assess level 2 youth work programmes and we will extend this to encompass level 3 in the future. We are also really pleased to have been able to work with Phil Pusey at SCVYS on the roll out of an Introduction to Youth Work course that partners are now able to deliver at a local level. A great piece of cross regional collaboration. The organisation has also begun to extend it’s CPD offer through its Associate Trainers.
Ruth Rickman-Williams CEO
Sue Wilson – EQA, Skills & Education Group Awards:
“Youth Focus West Midlands is a high functioning centre benefitting from a strong professional and competent youth work training team. The assessment and IQA practice is very strong. Learners’ work is of a high standard across all courses. The assessors use a range of appropriate assessment methods to support learners collective and individual needs. It is evident from what I have seen and discussed with the team members I met that the centre is offering its learners a very positive and rewarding learning experience. This is further validated by the end of course learner evaluations I read.”
Core Infrastructure
- Professional
- High Quality
- ‘Sufficient’ & Resilient
- Flexible & Adaptable (to policy and funding trends)
- Empowering Interface & Catalyst
Core Strategy
- Professional Regional Infrastructure Lead Support & Interface Lead
- Controlled & Sustainable Organisation Growth
- Quality Infrastructure – Not Mixed Economy – Focussing on:
- Infrastructure Support & Guidance
- Local Capacity & Sustainability
Core Workstreams
- Strategic Youth Leads
- Regional Impact Network
- Youth Voice Leads
- Regional Training Centre
Core Partnerships
- Local Strategic Leads – Based in 14 LA areas
- National Network of Youth Work Units
- National Youth Agency
Core Business
- Supporting Proessional Youth Work Delivery in the WM Region
- Leading Strategic Collaboration
- Local Leads Network
- Youth Voice
- Quality
- ‘Local to National’ & Cross-Sector Interface & Partnership Lead
- Workforce Development & Training
- Accredited Level 2 & 3 Training
- Bursary Management
- IQA Function
- Bespoke Training
- Building Local Training capacity
Core Staff
- CEO
- Business Suport
- Network & Training Administration
- Youth Voice Lead
- Training Centre Coordinator
- Associate Trainer / Assessor Pool