Keystone Children and Youth Foundation

Introduction

Keystone aims to establish a Foundation to invest in and develop opportunities for children and young people (0 -18) and their families in the KDT area. The Foundation will raise funds to invest in tackling the needs and issues of children and young people identified through a comprehensive needs assessment and consultation. It is envisaged that children and young people would be encouraged to play a key role in developing the Foundation.

The Foundation will work to provide a range of services, award grants, support partnership projects, commission work and act as an umbrella for children and youth groups – the Foundation would aim to compliment existing services. The Foundation (as part of a charity) would aim to access resources unavailable to other partners.

The Foundation will aim to build up resources to be able to sustain key activities, and rely less on short term project funding.

Key Issues - Children and young people in the Keystone area

  • Access – children & young people have unequal access to services and activities because of location, transport and concentration of services in a particular area.
  • Affordability – children& young people in disadvantaged areas (or pockets within wards) cannot access many activities because of cost – also low income levels prohibit the development of activities and services, unless funded.
  • Sustainability – many projects/community organisations (particularly in disadvantaged areas) rely on short term external funding and, linked with a historic under funding by local agencies, face long-term financial difficulties.
  • Capacity – many projects/groups lack the capacity (staff/financial) to tackle local issues through inadequate funding and access to training/staff.
  • Perception – children & young people are often perceived as a problem – particularly when playing or gathering outside school/ home in public spaces/streets. Also children & young people are perceived as a homogenous group – forgetting that some have particular needs – for instance those with disabilities, or cultural/ethnic differences.
  • Image – young people are acutely aware of the poor image they have within society- and are keen to challenge and disprove this.
  • Democracy – children & young people are not routinely engaged in local democratic processes or asked their opinions in services. As a result tend to be disinterested in local democracy.
  • Opportunities- children & young peoples' life opportunities are still heavily influenced by family income, location and access.
  • Youth services – NCC Youth & Community (and voluntary organisations) provide an excellent service – but are under-funded. Many youth clubs rely on external short term funding. Many young people do not use traditional youth clubs (location, access, image) – this is being tackled through outreach work, or alternative provision (detached work or small projects)
  • Community safety – young people are most likely to be victims of crime and have high levels of fear of crime – possibly due to the amount of time spent in public spaces/streets. Bullying is a particular issue – also access to drugs and alcohol. There is a strong perception that some children & young people are involved in anti-social and criminal behaviour - particularly in town wards.
  • Prevention - there are a few excellent preventative projects, but there is a lack of coordination and resources
  • Consumers- the private sector provides the majority of young peoples' entertainment and leisure needs – if affordable – both at home and going out. The private sector seems better 'tuned in' to young people's aspirations and in rapidly responding to youth culture than public bodies.
  • Local/neighbourhood provision – children & young people prefer provision to be local.
  • Child care -There is a lack of affordable child-care facilities in the area – although holiday provision has been significantly developed in recent years
  • Parent support/informal activities - Access to parent and toddler groups/activities and other opportunities for parents to get informal support is varied.
Indicative projects:

The Foundation aims to address the needs and issues outlined. Many are 'link' projects to make contact with children & young people in their own settings as well as providing new leisure opportunities throughout the year- including evenings and weekends. It is hoped that the young people themselves are suggesting projects and ieas that meet their needs and circumstances. (Please note - the project names are working titles.)

Projects include:

The K Team

The Games Machine

Keystone Kollectiv

In time it is envisaged that the KCYF will develop opportunities for young people to really influence the activity that takes place in their area through forums and schemes dedicated to hearing their voice.

  • Children's Voice - participation work with 5-10 year olds linking with schools/ school councils.
  • Youth participation –participation work with 11- 18 year olds – conferences and 'action groups' tackling young people's own issues
  • Young Consultants scheme - pool of young people for agencies and other organisations to consult on needs and issues.
  • Youth bursary - bursary scheme for young people ( targeted on low income) with an emphasis on education and developing entrepreneurship.
  • Development Fund - pump priming/ ongoing grant to small organisations

Funding

The Foundation would raise money from a variety of sources (as well as contributions in kind) for particular projects under the Foundations 'umbrella' as well as for the Foundation as a whole. Funding sources could include;

  • National Trusts/ Charities/Lottery
  • GOE, EEDA & other agencies
  • Local Government
  • Children's Fund
  • Keystone – reinvesting surplus from social business
  • Foundation assets – income steams
  • Local fundraising - lotto, events, collections, endowments

Next steps

The key milestones for establishing the Foundation would be;

  • Project appraisal, aims, objectives etc
  • Establish Foundation Advisory Panel
  • Consult
  • Plan initial services to coincide with launch – mobile projects
  • Recruit 'patrons'
  • Final plans to Board
  • Launch