Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1370. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of the implementation of the value for money and policy review of youth work funding programmes report and the recommendation that the four existing funding schemes should be amalgamated into a single targeted youth funding scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19713/19]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department administers a range of funding schemes and targeted programmes that support the provision of youth services for young people who are at risk of drugs, alcohol misuse, early school leaving, homelessness or who are living in disadvantaged communities. In line with the Department’s strategic objective of ensuring high standards of compliance on governance and accountability, a Value for Money and Policy Review of the Youth Funding programmes was conducted in 2013. The review examined three of the targeted funding schemes: Special Projects for Youth (SPY); Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund 1 and 2 (YPFSF) and Local Drugs Task Force projects (LDTF).

Overall, the review found that youth programmes can provide a significant contribution to improving outcomes for young people and should be considered for on-going public funding. However, the review also found that the programmes and performance related governance arrangements require significant reform. The review made a number of recommendations for the future operation of the youth schemes and their development in the years ahead to ensure an evidence-based and outcomes focused programme designed to secure optimal outcomes for young people. Government Decision S 180/20/1 0/0993C provided for publication of a Value for Money and Policy Review of Youth Funding Programmes (2014) (VFMPR) and implementation of the recommendations therein.

The overall purpose of reform of the youth funding programmes is to provide effective support to vulnerable young people in non-formal education settings. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs has been actively engaged in a range of measures to support implementation of the VFMPR since its publication.

Implementation measures to date include: (a) mapping of youth service provision; (b) an evidence review of schemes of a similar nature (both nationally and internationally); (c) introduction of a Sample Service Funding Scheme for new services which were required to meet criteria based on the recommendations of the VFMPR; (d) streamlining the of administration of youth funding via Education and Training Boards (ETBs); (e) development of an Area Profile, Needs Assessment and Service Requirement Tool; (f) development of Pilot Performance and Oversight Framework for use in the sample process and (f) introduction of a Service Level Agreement between my Department and each ETB and between the ETBs and the funded projects.

Implementation of the Review has been guided by a multi-sectoral Lead Team, with specific attention to matters related to measurement through a Measurement Advisory Group. A central recommendation of the review was that the Department should replace the existing funding programmes with a single fit-for-purpose youth scheme to target disadvantaged young people with evidence informed interventions and services that will secure good outcomes. Design of a single targeted youth funding scheme (TYFS) has been the primary focus for the Lead Team. The Lead Team has aimed to ensure that the scheme is policy driven, outcomes focused and meets the required standards of governance, performance management and compliance.

In July 2018 I indicated in a Memo to Government my intention to introduce the reformed single Targeted Youth Funding Scheme (TYFS; working title) in 2020. The strategic design process for the scheme has been informed by the measures listed above and by:

Consultation and engagement with stakeholders: The Department conducted 40 different national or regional consultation events with a range of stakeholders.

Consultation with young people: The Department conducted 3 national and 13 targeted events with young people across the country.

2019 is very much a year of preparation for implementation of the TYFS and to that end, since January of this year my Department has administered the schemes listed above as a single collapsed fund under the title of Transition Youth Funding Scheme.