There are many challenges facing children and young people where they live, but we firmly believe that if we come together in active partnership, we can make a positive difference. We are excited to have secured funding from DCMS for the second phase of our transformative LYP Capacity Building Project.  

Through DCMS funding in 2022/23 we established a national programme for local partnership in the youth sector, providing the tools, resources and support for any area to collaborate effectively for children and young people – this enables local areas to increase their reach, demonstrate their value and impact and secure investment in local services.  

After a successful pilot phase that empowered 10 diverse areas across England, we are excited to expand our efforts to further embed local youth partnerships in national policy and practice.

THE PROJECT

• Developed a range of tools, guidance and resources to enable formal partnerships locally.
• Enabled local areas to fully engage with and take advantage of regional and national support available through formal connections to regional and national bodies.
• Established the first ‘Framework for Partnership’, a resource which seeks to provide guidance to organisations and groups looking to explore partnership working, as well as established partnerships
• Provided a business case for support of LYPs at a local, regional and national level.
• Connected new local partnerships to a growing network of place-based partnerships.
• Connected LYPs into wider investments in children and young people across government, trusts and foundations.

RECOMMENDATIONS

YPF Trust outlined a number of recommendations as part of our final report, which we are now seeking to take forward in partnership with the sector and government.

Working alongside national partners, including NYA, YMCA George Williams College, and the Network of Regional Youth Work Units, we recommend:

1. Implementing a national programme of support to partnerships across the country.
2. Establishing a consistent approach to partnership in the youth sector which supports local needs and ambitions whilst providing clarity and consistency for supporters and partners.
3. Aligning partnership development with a core offer for young people and organisations, including National Youth Guarantee and national infrastructure and guidance.
4. Providing direct, tailored support for local areas to understand, navigate and influence the opportunities available to them, alongside shaping their local strategies and plans.
5. Investing directly into local partnerships through a broad network of local, regional and national funders so that this, in turn, creates the mechanisms for income generation and effective marshalling of resources.

The full report for the first pilot phase, please click on the link below

MOVING FORWARD TO PHASE 2

From September 2023 to March 2024, YPF Trust and our partners aim to grow our pilot project into a long-term programme to support youth work and services for children and young people across England.

By April 2024 we will seek to:

• Embed Local Youth Partnerships into national policy and practice in the youth sector - including national and local guidance and resources, including via a standardised partnerships framework for LYPs.
• Align Support for LYPs with National and Regional Infrastructure - embed support for Local Youth Partnerships into national and regional infrastructure systems and programmes, ensuring full alignment of local capacity building and development with the work of national partners and the Network of Regional Youth Work Units.
• Explore Sustainable Partnership Support – We will explore long-lasting support and development strategies through Regional Youth Work Units and city-region initiatives like Youth Alliance Greater Manchester.
• Continue direct support for emerging LYPs - including those engaged in the pilot.
• Engage and directly support a further 6-10 areas - providing support and resources in the development of LYPs in those areas.
• Secure Ongoing Support and Investment for LYPs – at regional and national levels, building on established business case and supporting research (e.g. Empowering Local)

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

We are organising information sessions for new areas, funders, and partners. If you would like to know more and participate in one of these sessions, do not hesitate to contact us. Your engagement and support could make a significant difference in our efforts to build and strengthen local youth partnerships.

If you want to learn more or are interested in supporting our project, we are here to connect. Please contact us via email at [email protected]