Young people in Peterborough are set to benefit from a major investment in youth services following a successful funding bid.
Earlier this year, the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) announced a national £88 million funding scheme, aimed at re-connecting young people with their communities and offering them opportunities to build skills for life and work.
The investment includes the rollout of the Local Youth Transformation Pilot (LYTP), an £8 million programme to support local authorities to deliver a high-quality out-of-school offer and invest in impactful local youth services.
Peterborough City Council was one of just 12 authorities selected by the DCMS to launch a LYTP and has received just over £723,000 for this initiative.
Since funding was secured, officers have worked with the National Youth Agency (NYA) to engage with the local youth sector, enabling them to identify key priority areas which can be enhanced. These include workforce development, access for young people in rural areas, the need for a city-wide partnership and a young person-led website.
Subject to cabinet approval, officers will work to develop these proposals and are appealing to local businesses, community groups and organisations that would like to be involved in this scheme to get in touch.
Councillor Katy Cole, Peterborough City Council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “The fact that Peterborough is one of just 12 authorities to be granted funding for this vitally important scheme, shows that the government shares our thorough commitment to supporting young people.
"We are actively working to develop a local youth offer which addresses the needs of young people in Peterborough and supports government priorities. Our youth offer will reflect the changing needs of young people, enabling them to develop new skills for life and work."
The LYTP in Peterborough will include the launch of a Youth Summit, aimed at engaging young people, stakeholders, and partners in shaping the future of youth services in Peterborough.
There are plans to deliver tiered training and workshops with local employers aimed at building a skilled and diverse youth workforce. The council will also look to allocate fund to support grassroots and community-led schemes, helping them enhance their current provision.
To help support young people in rural areas, a 'Youth Bus' is proposed to deliver pop up sessions. There are also plans for establishing a Peterborough Young People's Foundation (YPF) to coordinate youth services, partnerships, and funding streams. Meanwhile, a new website led by young people and managed by the foundation is set to be launched, aimed at promoting youth provision in the city.
Any businesses, groups or organisations that would be interested in assisting the council to develop youth services can get in touch by emailing youthsectorforum@peterborough.gov.uk