Youth workers doing a good job despite staff shortages

Inspectors recently assessed the WELB Limavady/Rural Foyle division which covers Limavady, Strathfoyle, Drumahoe, Claudy, Caw and Dungiven and works with staff based in Drumahoe YMCA, Caw Youth Centre and Strathfoyle Youth Centre.

The inspectors noted that the Area Youth Officer (AYO) for Limavady/Rural Foyle was forced to work with a restricted staff with the senior youth worker on secondment to another post for almost three years without being replaced.

Last September the senior youth work returned to work in the area for eleven hours a week, with particular responsibility for managing the further development of the Limavady and Rural Foyle Youth Council.

During the inspection the area youth worker and a youth tutor were absent and an outreach worker had resigned four weeks before the beginning of the inspection.

But despite the staff restrictions a newly published report by the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) found that the leadership and management of the local youth service, at all levels, provided clear direction for the youth work provision.

It also found good development of effective participative and inclusive structures providing young people with leadership and negotiating skills which help them to contribute positively to their centres and their communities.

The report also found a good range of programmes and activities; youth work practice of a consistently good quality; and good links and working relationships with external agencies.

The inspectors did believe there could be further development of evaluation and the use of data to inform future planning for the achievements and outcomes of the young people.

The concluded: “In the areas inspected, the quality of youth provision in this area is good. The organisation has important strengths in most of its youth work provision.

“The inspection has identified an area for improvement which the organisation has demonstrated the capacity to address. The Education and Training Inspectorate will monitor the organisation’s progress on the area for improvement.”