Wirral – Strategy and Governance

Wirral Council with its partners, Liverpool City Council and Knowsley Council has put its young people at the heart of strategic governance with the development of Executive Youth Board. Targeting young people who are Not in Employment, Education or Training, Looked After Children and young people with Learning Difficulties and Disabilities, it recruited from priority groups to deliver strategy and governance solutions to fit each the particular needs of each authority.

Members of the Youth Parliament are now full members of the Youth and Play Service Advisory Committee and have full voting rights with elected members. The Children’s Trust is currently being revised to include the role of the Executive Youth Board as advisors to the Trust on the recent Strategic Asset Review and its impact on young people, and on the design of the Hubs or large Youth Centres.

Following the adoption of the Wirral’s Charter of Participation, work is now in hand to recognise the work young people undertake with councillors and to link it to the 14-19 Diploma.

What they learned

Align to achieve and get buy in

• Wirral’s project developed in line with corporate aims, objectives and policies. Their charter of participation was adopted from ‘Hear by Right’ and the beacon year provided the impetus, resources and impartiality to plan more effectively.
• Wirral underlines the need for buy-in from senior officer and elected members at an early stage.

Provide the skills where they might be needed

• Wirral provided training for elected members in contact with young people.
• Training and accreditation to allow young people to work more effectively was considered in the planning phase – it included running/chairing meetings and minute taking.

Be realistic about the practicalities of delivery

• Creating appropriate materials to aid delivery of the project, it invested in ongoing development and training.
• Liverpool provided rewards for young people contributing to the project.
• Transport was essential to successful delivery of the project.
• Wirral stressed the importance of keeping those not directly involved in the project informed.
• They also used agreements with partners/services, as well as with young people to ensure their ongoing commitment and recognised the value of contributions made by all parties.
• They aimed to be honest about what was possible while still being aspirational.
• They recognised that the process itself as well as the outcomes, should have value.

Think about the skills needed to deliver and be involved

• To get young people involved, Wirral used youth workers in contact with a range of organisations.
• Wirral used Personal Development Plans for young people to ascertain and monitor what they wanted to achieve from their participation.
• They recognise the need for dedicated, understanding, skilled youth workers who can inspire and sustain the interest of young people as part of the process.

Make it common practice at every level

• The Executive Youth Board plan, Wirral’s Annual Youth Parliament which is a full council meeting facilitated by elected members and young people, with open debate in the council chamber.
• Wirral and Liverpool have their work included in the area plans and service plans for the Youth Service.
• Wirral’s Executive Youth Board has a young person as lead for each Every Child Matters objective with a working group and assigned staff.

The proof is in the pudding!

• Wirral have demonstrated how young peoples’ status in communities and local plans has been enhanced.

Raise expectations

• Wirral and Liverpool have created an expectation that the volunteering programme will be part of future plans and have built it into existing structures.
• The council used their council structures and processes to ensure work was embedded, working with the system rather than against it e.g. slotting volunteering information into existing structures such as their Executive Youth Board, which acts as a shadow cabinet.

Find out about the authority’s ongoing good practice at www.wirral.gov.uk