Issue - meetings
Improving Youth Participation and Development
Meeting: 14/02/2024 - Executive (Item 149)
149 Improving Youth Participation and Development 
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Purpose:
To set out the Council’s approach to supporting young people and building on the results and findings of the recent Youth Needs Assessment.
Recommendations:
That the Executive Resolves to:
1. Agree to the recruitment of a dedicated Youth Development Officer on a full time, 2-year fixed term contract;
2. To note that £60,000 external funding from the Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF) will be used to support the post;
3. Approve up to £28,000 from the Council Priority fund to meet the balance needed for the post;
4. Approve the use of the £20,000 COMF budget allocated to youth activities to enable test and learn opportunities as developed by the postholder, which tackle the barriers faced by young people, to access activities, services and opportunities.
Minutes:
Councillor Andy Graham, Leader of the Council, introduced the report, which set out the Council’s approach to supporting young people and building on the results and findings of a recent Youth Needs Assessment.
The Leader paid tribute to the work of the Executive Member for Stronger, Healthy Communities and the Council’s Community Wellbeing Manager, for their work in Youth Participation across West Oxfordshire, highlighting that work was of even greater significance owing to the rural nature of the West Oxfordshire District.
In debate, the Executive highlighted the significance of the Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF), awarded to the Council by central government, and that younger people were perceived to have been disproportionately affected by the Covid-19 Pandemic.
Councillor Andy Graham proposed that the Executive agree to the recommendations as listed on the report. This was seconded by Councillor Duncan Enright, was put to a vote, and was unanimously agreed by the Executive.
The Executive Resolved to:
- Agree to the recruitment of a dedicated Youth Development Officer on a full time, 2-year fixed term contract;
- Note that £60,000 external funding from the Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF) will be used to support the post;
- Approve up to £28,000 from the Council Priority fund to meet the balance needed for the post;
- Approve the use of the £20,000 COMF budget allocated to youth activities to enable test and learn opportunities as developed by the postholder, which tackle the barriers faced by young people, to access activities, services and opportunities.