|
Why VYSI? – The Vision:
An infrastructure / network of the voluntary community and faith sector organisations which are delivering services with and for young people, that encourages collaborative working, training, sharing good practice and information; and developing innovative programmes with young people at the heart of it all.
The Aims and Objectives of VYSI are
· To be a voice for voluntary youth organisations
· To build an infrastructure owned by the voluntary youth sector within which voluntary youth sector organisations can participate
· To encourage and facilitate networks and mutual support within the voluntary youth sector
· To pursue the needs of the sector (including partnerships, publicity, training and advocacy)
· To promote a programme of events in support of voluntary sector workers
· To create a voluntary sector database and a published directory of voluntary youth groups
In addition VYSI aims to develop links between the voluntary sector and other agencies and to act as a point of reference between the voluntary sector and the City Council
Young people need services that are responsive and effective; and as the Local Authority turns more and more to the voluntary sector we need to be able to respond with the flexibility and creativity that small organisations can bring to their work. However that often comes at a price; we also need to be able to sustain and maintain our position; manage the fluctuating funding streams, the changing demands, the responses to the wider political/funders’ agenda whilst at the same time remaining true to the voice and influence of young people themselves.
For this reason YASY has dedicated time and resources to reawakening the VYSI network and ensuring that the organisation and its constituent groups are in a position to:
- present a clear vision of the better possibilities and ways to respond to the needs of young people;
- work with Neighbourhood panels and other local groups;
- open dialogue with the statutory agencies.
- Demonstrate an alternative way of working
- provide a mutually supportive network that brings strength to the sector and added value to the young people of Sheffield.
Young people’s participation through its member organisations and in their own right brings a level of authenticity to our dealings
VYSI: Background
VYSI has been in existence since 1997 when it had a healthy active membership and wider mailing list of many of the traditional voluntary sector youth work groups in the city. It’s original purpose was to make the contribution of the voluntary sector visible in the context of the then strong and nationally renowned City Youth Service; and although the group made a valuable contribution to curriculum development, and was a conduit for consultation including “Transforming Youth Work” and Ofsted Inspections, and the Youth Review it struggled for survival and recognition.
In 2001 following the launch of the Governments “Transforming Youth Work Funding” a bid was made via Sheffield Futures (as the main contract holder for the City’s Youth Service) for resources for a Development Worker and for creating a data base. However it wasn’t until the third year of the programme, and after the City had launched its Youth Strategy consultation that that money became available to YASY (Youth Association South Yorkshire) directly to support the VYSI network. In September ‘05 two workers were appointed as secondees from Futures one to work on organisational development the other to work on developing a VYSI database.
The latter was the most enduringly successful of the two posts as the worker was able to build on her previous work within Futures and the Youth Strategy, to link into all the wider strategies and developments on information, data and the city wide 0-19 Service Directory, to produce a wide ranging and comprehensive preliminary data base. The funding finished in March 06, however YASY as a Connexions Voluntary sector development agent was able to make a further contribution through its Connexions budget, which together with some funding from the City, and a fractional post (.3) from Sheffield Futures has enabled continued maintenance and further development of the network..
|