Specialist Youth Workers (SYW) programme - East Lothian Council: Identifying need and aims
This section outlines the need for the project and how the basis of partnership working was established. It also includes the overall ambition of the partnership and an overview of those involved.
Local authority data, national reports and research highlighted the adverse impact of COVID-19 on the lives of many young people, including on their attendance and engagement at school. This indicated the need for early intervention, which was reinforced by local knowledge of practitioners and conversations with school staff on existing and emerging needs in their communities. This informed understanding of the challenges young people were facing and how they were impacting their outcomes within education.
The strength of partnership working was a feature of effective support during school building closures; therefore, it was important to maximise this approach in service delivery going forward. As a result, part-time youth workers were introduced to work preventatively with schools to identify young people at risk of becoming disengaged and help them to achieve positive outcomes.
The ambition of the project was for six appointed Specialist Youth Workers (SYWs) to work in partnership with local schools, supporting young people to access learning and development opportunities across a range of contexts. SYWs proactively engage with young people in P6-S3, however the specific needs of a community determine the work undertaken and the upper age range of involvement. They would also develop supportive relationships, to prevent the need for statutory intervention, while also encouraging regular attendance at school to support key transitions for young people to manage their wellbeing and to enable them to flourish within their communities.
Key partners involved included primary and secondary schools and third sector youth work partners, namely the North Berwick Youth Project and Recharge.
