ITEM NUMBER 13.1
SUBJECT Further Deferred from OCM 4 December 2023 (Deferred from OCM 20 November 2023) - Proposed Youth Inclusion Framework
REFERENCE F2022/03176 - D09247682
REPORT OF Community Capacity Building Lead
PREVIOUS ITEMS 8.5 - Youth Week 2023 - Council - 24 Apr 2023 6:30PM
CSP THEME: Accessible
workshop/briefing date: Nil
PURPOSE:
To respond to a Council resolution to develop a Youth Strategy and propose the development of a Youth Inclusion Framework describing the feasibility, scope and methodology to develop it.
This report proposes that a framework, instead of a strategy, is most appropriate for coordinating Council services in addressing the priorities for young people. A framework is also consistent with Council’s hierarchy of strategic documents.
(a) That Council endorse the development of a Youth Inclusion Framework, to provide a stronger framework to support and enhance Council programs and services that impact young people, and better inform future Council responses to gaps in needs.
(b) That the results of research and consultation with young people and other stakeholders, and a draft Youth Inclusion Framework be submitted to Council in before 31 March 2025 for consideration.
BACKGROUND
1. This report was initially considered by Council at its 20 November 2023 meeting and it was resolved to defer consideration to the 4 December 2023 meeting to allow for supplementary information to be prepared for the information of Council.
2. A Briefing Note was prepared by the Acting Executive Director People, Culture and Workplace, in consultation with the Group Manager Social and Community Services and was published on the Councillor Portal on Friday 24 November 2023.
3. The Briefing Note provides a detailed description of the report to Council on 22 December 2022 which included an overview of future strategies pertaining to Traineeships, Graduate Program and Apprenticeships. The Briefing Note also provides an update on other initiatives that have commenced since the tabling of that report.
4. The report was listed for consideration at the 4 December 2023 Council meeting, where Council again resolved to defer this matter.
5. At its meeting on 24 April 2023, Council acknowledged City of Parramatta’s delivery of Youth Week and requested that the CEO bring back a report that investigates the drafting of a Youth Strategy as part of the Youth Engagement Framework for the City of Parramatta. The resolution asked for the report to consider:
a. Consultation with young people and relevant stakeholders in developing strategic priorities and action plans.
b. Focus areas for consideration including Mental health and wellbeing, employment, apprenticeships/traineeships, justice and safety, the arts, technology hub, community connections, as well as voice, empowerment, and engagement.
c. The financial and resourcing implications of developing a youth strategy, and potential timeframes for consultation, development, and delivery.
6. Council recognises that young people are a priority group in the community and provides a range of services and programs to young people across the City. Internal consultations and research found that Council delivers at least 80 programs and services in a typical year that deliberately consider youth inclusion in their planning and delivery, as detailed in Attachment 1. These range from one off events or projects to ongoing programs and cover areas such as:
a. Arts and technology
b. Recreation
c. Schools
d. Events
e. Employment, education, and vocation
f. Consultation and strategy
g. Community capacity building
h. Community grants
7. There is currently no agreed structure or methodology for engaging with young people or to support the delivery of Council activities in a way that allows Council to have a coordinated approach to our programs and services, identify gaps, plan and maximise our resources and opportunities; and is informed by the voices of young people.
8. This need is reflected in our existing commitment to develop a Youth Inclusion Framework and is also reflected in the draft Social Sustainability Strategy, which states:
Children and young people have the right to voice their opinions and be heard on issues that affect them. However, the views of children and young people are often not given proper consideration in decision-making. It is important to elevate the voices of children and young people and children so their perspectives can inform planning and decision-making for the future of our City. (Draft Social Sustainability Strategy, p.43)
9. Within the draft Social Sustainability Strategy, under Priority 2 A Safe, Inclusive and Welcoming City there are two actions that focus on the engagement of young people.
Action 2.3.1 is particularly important to this report, as it outlines developing the framework that is the subject of this report.
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Priority 2. A safe, inclusive, and welcoming City |
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2.3 Our community is empowered to have their say and shape the future of our City |
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2.3.1 |
Develop a framework to inform the way Council engages with young people |
Horizon 1 (Years 1-2) |
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2.4 Our City is designed to make young people feel welcome |
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2.4.1 |
Evaluate the provision of youth-friendly spaces in Parramatta CBD to identify gaps and inform future action |
Horizon 2 (Years 3-4) |
10. The draft Social Sustainability Strategy does not identify any gaps or needs in Council’s services for young people beyond those listed above. This was informed by research and community engagement.
ISSUES/OPTIONS/CONSEQUENCES
11. A Youth Inclusion Framework would enhance Council’s work with young people by providing a stronger reference point for Council Officers, including:
· an evidence base to support planning;
· tools to increase the effectiveness of their work;
· greater coordination of Council’s work with young people to maximise opportunities and impact.
12. Both Council and the community would benefit from a Youth Inclusion Framework as there is a clear need for a focused approach in order to achieve the community’s desired outcomes. Paramatta has over 36,000 young people aged 12-24 years (2021 census). This is forecast to grow to over 61,000 young people by 2036. There is a range of Council services and programs targeting or benefiting young people and they would benefit from a consistent evidence base and framework as well as some level of coordination to achieve a customer centred approach. A framework will provide the evidence base and framework to achieve this coordination and enhanced youth inclusion outcomes.
13. Further, there are over 20 youth services, 27 public high schools, 19 non-government high schools and 14 colleges (including TAFE) within the City of Parramatta. This represents a significant youth services sector for Council to work with to best understand and address the priorities for young people in Parramatta. A framework will articulate Council’s role and positioning in relation to these services and schools.
14. The proposed Framework will have a clear scope, purpose and inclusions. The scope will consider improving inclusion for young people aged 12-24 years who live, work, study or visit Parramatta LGA. It will have Council wide reach and be reviewed periodically.
15. To achieve its purpose, the Framework will include:
a. Reference to the evidence base, including priority areas concerning young people in Parramatta;
b. Reference to related strategic documents and policies;
c. A model for working with young people and youth inclusion. This will likely provide a spectrum of approaches based to some degree on the Community Engagement Continuum;
d. Materials and resources to support teams in implementing the model; and
e. An approach to coordination of youth targeted activities with roles identified for aspects of coordination.
16. The proposed name “Youth Inclusion Framework” reflects the scope and purpose outlined above and is consistent with comparable document names within the hierarchy of strategic documents across Council.
17. In preparing this report, Council Officers considered the title of Youth Strategy as contained within the original resolution of Council from 24 April 2023. In the developing hierarchy of Council documents, a Strategy is a high-level document which identifies multiple priorities for new work and change, outside of business as usual activities of Council, within a policy area or topic of critical importance, Council’s work with young people is embedded into business as usual of a number of Business Units, the Framework will be focusing on greater coordination, consistency and communication rather than wholesale change in the nature of the work. The Social Strategy articulates the importance of young people as part of the City of Parramatta community and gives strategic direction to the work Council does with young people.
18. For the purposes of the Framework, young people or youth will be defined as being 12-24 years old. A focus on inclusion enables the document to provide both an aspirational and a flexible model for future work that is focused on the benefits of inclusive practice. As a Framework, this document can influence strategy development and be a tool that helps business units and teams to design and deliver actions rather than being an action plan in itself.
19. The Framework will be developed with clear principles. These are:
a. Evidence based: In addition to the literature review, data analysis and internal consultation already conducted we will conduct a peer review of existing work before testing these findings through community and stakeholder consultations.
b. Supports and enhances current and future programs and services at Council: to achieve appropriate youth inclusion outcomes.
c. Relevance: across all council services that impact young people
d. Flexibility: in its application, guiding parameters and tools so that it can support a range of teams and contexts.
e. Aspirational: By providing a framework and other resources it will encourage higher levels of youth inclusion.
f. Integrated: By directly linking to the Community Strategic Plan and other relevant strategic documents, the document will sit with existing governance structures.
20. Internal consultation and desktop benchmarking research performed to date has been used to formulate three indicative focus areas for the Framework most relevant to young people in Parramatta and the role Council can play to address issues. The three indicative focus areas are: Youth Empowerment; Service and Program Delivery; and Advocacy
21. Youth Empowerment considers the direct and strategic participation of young people, through leadership, representation and participation opportunities relating to decisions and actions that affect them. Youth Empowerment could include:
· Youth consultation throughout planning and actions that affect young people. The young people consulted should be representative of those affected by an issue.
· The maintenance of a local evidence base.
· Partnership and collaboration with expert youth organisations.
· Using a range of community capacity building approaches, including place-based, issue-based and population group-based approaches.
· Supporting a holistic approach that considers physical, emotional, social, and spiritual wellbeing.
· Monitoring and evaluation processes, focusing on participant satisfaction and effectiveness of youth inclusion efforts.
22. Service and Program delivery identifies priority issues, needs, concerns and opportunities that should be available to young people. Indicative focus areas include:
· Mental health and wellbeing.
· Employment and education.
· Environment and climate action (including disaster resilience and recovery).
· Housing security and increased cost of living pressures.
· Equitable access to safe and inclusive services.
23. Advocacy considers the role of Council in advocating for the concerns and aspirations of young people as well as influencing better-practices in youth inclusion.
24. The development of the Framework will follow a process consistent with that used to develop the Disability Inclusion Action Plan and draft First Nations Strategy. Consultation with young people and other stakeholders will begin in late 2024 with a draft framework expected in the 2024/25 Financial Year. This timing allows us to first develop the planned Socio-Economic Inclusion Framework which will inform to a large degree the Youth Inclusion Framework.
CONSULTATION & TIMING
Stakeholder Consultation
25. The following stakeholder consultation has been undertaken in relation to this matter:
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Date |
Stakeholder |
Stakeholder Comment |
Council Officer Response |
Responsibility |
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May-June 2023 |
Internal stakeholders |
All stakeholders supported having a Youth Inclusion Framework as it is described in this report and are willing to assist in its development as a reference group. |
Feedback has been incorporated into this report and its recommendations |
Community Capacity Building/ Social and Community Services |
LEGAL IMPLICATIONS FOR COUNCIL
26. There are no legal implications for Council associated with this report.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS FOR COUNCIL
Will Langbein-Pass
Community Capacity Building Lead
Rodrigo Gutierrez
Community Capacity Building Manager
David Moutou
Acting Executive Director Community Services
John Angilley
Executive Director Finance & Information
Jon Greig
Executive Director Community Services
Gail Connolly
Chief Executive Officer
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1⇩ |
Attachment 1 - list of Council Youth programs and activities |
2 Pages |
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REFERENCE MATERIAL
