RCVYS Annual Report 2014

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Annual Report

2013 - 2014

RCVYS Chairman’s Comments

2013 to 2014 has been one of the most challenging for children’s services on a national

basis, with no central government strategy on youth work and the huge cuts being

passed down to local authorities has forced local decision makers to have to make

some very difficult choices; With over a million young people unemployed we seem to

be at a real transition in our support to children and young people. With the statutory

services having to commit more and more of their resources to the most at risk families

and government targets, it is leaving a huge hole in the delivery of preventative services

for children and young people. Increasing numbers of young people are becoming

obese, self-harming and taking huge risks with their sexual behaviour, with little or no

investment providing a safety net. I always believe that voluntary and community

services are like the fence at the top of the cliff, although what we seem to be

resourcing is just the ambulance at the bottom collecting those that have fallen.

As you can see from the membership of RCVYS, we have a wide range of services that

are community-based and committed to the people of Reading. We need to continue

to support these groups to enable them to grow and develop, to provide them with

funding to support their core work, and provide an infrastructure that empowers

services to all children and young people.

I do hope you read the Annual Report and take note of the great work we have been

involved in, and the commitment from our volunteers who add so much value to the

work of RCVYS. I would also like to extend my thanks to Ben, our Development Worker,

who is only part time and does the work of many, and Ali, our Admin Support Worker,

who continues to support the Executive and manage the paperwork of RCVYS. We also

need to recognise the commitment that Reading Borough Council make in ensuring the

grant to fund our work continues, without which, there would be no RCVYS. Finally, to

all the members of the RCVYS Executive and our Representatives who attend meetings

and support projects in their own time and using their own resources - we thank you

and appreciate the efforts you all make in ensuring the children and young people of

Reading get the best possible service we can provide.

David Seward - RCVYS Chairman

• At our RCVYS Members Meeting in January 2014, 20 people joined

together to explore different sources of support to promote and

encourage positive emotional wellbeing and mental health for

children, young people and families in Reading. The meeting heard

from Reading Youth Cabinet around their concerns, and then

helped to identify gaps and solutions in the mental health support.

These were then reported back to Service Managers, and into the

CAMHS Review.

Such was the demand at this meeting, RCVYS has since managed to

arranged to host a full version of the well regarded Youth Mental

Health First Aid Training for Voluntary Sector organisations in

Reading.

• This year, the RCVYS Mailing

List has disseminated over 131

pieces of news and information

to its members and the wider

VCF Sector this year.

• Between 1st April 2013 and 31st

March 2014, the RCVYS

Website has received 680

Unique Visits, with 464 First

Time Visits and 216 Returning

Visits.

Sharing information and support from the RCVYS

Development Worker

• RCVYS has started a mini-network of Parent and Toddler Groups

in Reading. Initial research undertaken by the Family Information

Service indicated that there are at least 60 different Voluntary

Sector Parent and Toddler

groups in Reading. RCVYS

has hosted 3 termly lunches

over the last year, and has

so far connected with over

20 groups. So far the groups

have shared experiences of

working with Children’s

Centres, health services for

young families, and even

had a workshop on using

music and rhyme!

• Working with Reading Voluntary Action, RCVYS helped to bring

together 13 Voluntary Sector organisations to be listed as

significant partners in Reading’s Big Lottery Fulfilling Lives bid.

This bid got through to the second round, but was ultimately

unsuccessful.

“The benefit of having RCVYS and its Development Worker

is that I know that I am unlikely to miss anything that’s

relevant to our work with children and young people in the

Reading area.

The information that is collated, shared, and sometimes

created is really helpful, not to mention a real timesaver.

I know that if I need support or information about a

particular topic, or need a contact, RCVYS will be able to

point me in the right direction, or will know someone who

can.” Kevin Woods - ARCADE - Drug Education for Life

Parent and Toddler Group Leaders

at our first Get Together

• In 2013/14, RCVYS enabled a further 12 people from 10 different

organisations to be trained to deliver the West of Berkshire LSCBs

Universal Safeguarding Children Training. This further increases

the Voluntary Sector’s ability to train staff and volunteers to keep

children safe in Reading.

• In 2013/14, RCVYS delivered 2 more Designated Persons

Safeguarding Training courses. 17 people from 13 different

organisations now have the skills to effectively manage

safeguarding disclosures and allegations within their organisation.

• In 2013/14, RCVYS worked in partnership with Reading Voluntary

Action and Barnabas Fellowship of Churches to deliver 8 interactive

workshops to support Voluntary Sector Groups in Reading to

implement the new Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) process

into their organisations. 127 different individuals attended these

workshops and now feel confident in their new responsibilities.

“The discussions were very good, with excellent

delivery - very approachable and clear. It will improve

practice at our organisation.”

Course attendee on Designated Persons Safeguarding Training

Training Opportunities

Learners at an Informal Youthwork Training Workshop

“RCVYS have provided me with valuable and insightful

training programs on topics such as mental health,

disability awareness and preventing sexual

exploitation.

These courses empower the participants to have a

better understanding of the issues, and support young

people’s needs in this modern world. The courses have

been of an exceptionally high standard.”

Sara Kopp - Let’s Grow (part of The Mustard Tree Foundation)

• In 2013/14, RCVYS was successful in a funding bid to deliver a

further round of youthwork-related training courses for the

Voluntary Sector in Reading. Through this funding:

• 34 people from 15 different organisations have passed their

Emergency Paediatric First Aid qualification and have the

capacity to deal with first aid incidents in their organisation.

• So far, 7 organisations have applied to the RCVYS Training

Bursary for 31 people to attend training courses to meet

specific needs in their organisation. 8 of these people are

studying for accredited qualifications.

• RCVYS has held 2 Informal Youthwork Training Workshops:

• 26 people attended a workshop on Working with

young people engaging in sexually risky behaviour.

Before the workshop, 50% did not feel confident to

deal with this subject with their young people. After

the workshop, 100% of attendees felt confident to do

so.

• 21 people attended a workshop on Working with

young people with emotional and behaviour

difficulties. Before the workshop, 47% did not feel

confident to deal with this subject with their young

people. After the workshop, 100% of attendees felt

confident to do so.

• During 2013/14, RCVYS has enabled Reading’s Voluntary Sector to

have their say in the following official consultations:

• Reading Parenting Review for Reading Borough Council

• Early Help Strategy for Reading Borough Council

• Family Hubs Consultation for Reading Borough Council

• Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Strategy

for Reading Borough Council

• Berkshire-wide Sexual Health Services for Public Health

• Berkshire Child and

Adolescent Mental

Health Services

(CAMHS) Review for

the Clinical

Commissioning

Groups

• Two Management

Restructures for

Reading Borough

Council

• RCVYS Representatives have served on 12 committees, groups,

meetings and forums, and ensured that the views and voice of the

Voluntary Sector were heard at the very highest levels in Reading

and across Berkshire.

• The RCVYS Development Worker was selected to be the Local

Strategic Partnership (LSP) Board Champion for Breaking the Cycle

of Poverty and to lead on that work for the LSP.

Representing collective views

• RCVYS worked in partnership with Healthwatch Reading, and

Reading Family Forum to enable Voluntary Sector Groups, Schools

and Parents the opportunity to share their views on CAMHS

Services in Reading. These views were both fed back directly to

CAMHS, and into the Berkshire-wide Review.

• As part of a Department of Health (DH) visit to South Reading,

RCVYS and Reading Voluntary Action were invited to give a

presentation to some of the Executive Board for the DH, including

the Permanent Secretary of the DH, and the government’s Chief

Medical Officer, on how Reading’s Voluntary Sector supports

Health outcomes in Reading.

“There is a good level of communication between the

local authority and RCVYS, who have pushed for an

open dialogue. Being part of RCVYS enables us to

ensure that our voices are heard, and that we are

represented.”

Ruth Pearse - Parenting Special Children

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Consultation Voluntary Sector

Focus Group

RCVYS would like to thank the staff, Officers

and Councillors at Reading Borough Council for

their continuing financial support.

RCVYS 34 Parkside Road, Reading, Berkshire. RG30 2DD

Tel: 07872 958501

E-mail: [email protected]

Twitter: @RCVYS

www.rcvys.org.uk

RCVYS would also like to acknowledge its appreciation

and thanks to the following people for their service to

the Voluntary, Community and Faith sector this last year,

as members of staff, and volunteering as RCVYS Exec

Members and RCVYS Representatives.

Bernadette Adams

Vince Barton

Alyson Brickley

Ben Cross

Jackie Curtis

Ali Dent

Mike Edwards

Rachel Green

Lyn Griffiths

Mary Jacobs

Jill Lake

Cathy Lamsdale

Leslie Macdonald

Karen Ross

David Seward

Alison Steedman

Helen Taylor

Natausha Van Vliet