The landscape for those working with children and young people has become increasingly complex over the last decade. Keeping up with the changes on a national and local level, with new policies, structures, plans and initiatives, has been challenging for all involved in working with children, young people and families. These changes have been particularly challenging for voluntary and community organisations who work at the forefront of communities, independently and often on a voluntary basis with short-term or little funding.
Our Youth at the Centre programme supports community organisations directly and at a national level in the following ways:
Direct Support
We work directly with community organisations to support them to understand how changes in policy, structures, plans and initiatives affect them and the opportunities that they bring. If you are a community organisation and would like some support with policy or related matters, please contact our programme manager (click here).
There are also a range of useful resources and briefings that we provide links to at the bottom of this page.
Advocacy and Policy
Community organisations work with local people of all ages and across a range of issues. We work closely with the policy team at Community Matters, Kindle (the Community Sector Partnership for Children and Young People) and other national partners (Youth Policy Exchange and others) to communicate your concerns and interests at a national level through policy work, publications and events to give you and the community sector a stronger voice.
Current Consultations and Research:
- Children, Young People and Families (CYPF) Grant programme. The Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF) are currently consulting on this national programme to fund work by the third sector to improve outcomes for children, young people and families. It was introduced in April 2006 and provides a national source of funding that potentially supports any aspect of the Every Child Matters agenda and the Department’s Children's Plan. Community Matters will be submitting a response. Please get in touch with Rosie Anderson to express your views or make your response direct to the department, click here.
- Children's Centre's and local community organisations - is there a local Children's Centre in your area? We are conducting some research into the impact of Children's Centres on community organisations and would like to hear your views and experiences. If you have something to share, please get in touch with Rosie Anderson or the Youth At the Centre Programme Manager.
Submitted Responses, Research and Reports
2009
- Reponse to: Community Matters Response to the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee Inquiry into Young People Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET)
Download Document
Response to: Inquiry Into Sure Start Children’s
Centres October 2009
21st Century Schools: A World-Class Education for Every Child. Community Matters submitted an endorsement of NCVYS response to the Department for Children, Schools and Families in March 2009
Statutory Guidance: The Roles and Responsibilities of the Lead Member for Children's Services and the Director of Children's Services. Community Matters coordinates the Kindle Partnership which submitted an endorsement to it's partner, NCVYS' consultation response to the Department for Children, Schools and Families in January 2009
2008
- Submission to Lord Laming Inquiry. Community Matters coordinates the Kindle partnership who submitted a letter to Lord Laming on behalf of the Department for Children, Schools and Families, supporting NCVYS report into safeguarding practice in December 2008
- The Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) Consultation on the new corporate form for charities. Submitted by Community Matters to the Office of the Third Sector and the Charity Commission in December 2008
Study into Youth Gang, Gun and Knife Crime. Community Matters arranged for the research team from the Home Office to visit with member organisations to understand how these issues are affecting local communities and the work being undertaken by community organisations to tackle and divert these issues, November 2008
Are we there yet? Improving governance and resource management in children’s trusts, Audit Commission Report. Community Matters coordinates the Kindle Partnership that published a press release on this report, November 2008
Youth Crime Action Plan. Community Matters submitted a response with the Youth Policy Exchange to the Home Office in October 2008
Study into Raising Community Attitudes, Aspirations and Educational Attainment in Deprived Communities. Community Matters represented community organisations at a meeting and submitted a report to the Life Chances Cabinet Committee (Social Exclusion Task Force, Department for Communities and Local Government, and Department for Children, Schools and Families), September 2008
Study into Community Outreach and Children's Centres. Community Matters represented community organisations at a data collection research meeting for the Department for Children, Schools and Families, September 2008
Fair Play: A consultation on the play strategy. Community Matters coordinates the Kindle Partnership that endorsed NCVYS and Children England's consultation response to the Department for Children, Schools and Families in July 2008
2007
- Children's Trusts - Kindle (the Community Sector Partnership for Children and Young People) produced two 'Talking Trusts' publications aimed at supporting the engagement of community organisations in Children's Trusts.
Resources
There are a range of resources and briefings that are written for the voluntary and community sector. Those listed below are specific for organisations working with children and young people, but if you would like to view other relevant policy briefings for the sector, click here.
Resources and Briefings Coming Soon
