New team of 'life coaches' planned for Leeds City Council youth service

It comes as the authority rolls out its new youth service delivery model this week, which includes a greater focus on more deprived neighbourhoods, as well as the council recruiting "life coaches".

But a report which went before members of the council's Children and Families Scrutiny Board this week stated national trends of local authorities struggling to recruit youth workers was being mirrored in Leeds.

"This is a national issue and the picture in Leeds reflects this. As a result, there are now a number of youth worker vacancies within the in-house youth service. To mitigate this risk the service is currently advertising several qualified youth worker posts and several youth support worker posts."

Leeds City Council's head of early help services Vicky Fuggles told the meeting: "To be called a youth worker, you need a minimum of a level three qualification. Youth support workers have not yet got that qualification. The issue in terms of recruiting qualified youth workers is a national issue.

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When asked about whether the youth service was mainly affected by a lack of staff or of a lack of facilities, Ms Fuggles said: "The answer is both. Staff are the most valued resource we have.

"Young people really benefitted most from building-based youth work."

She added the new delivery model for youth work would begin this week. The report said this would feature enhanced work in neighbourhoods where children were more at risk of having lower attainment at school.

It added: "Examples of projects that will be delivered include group activity (open access or targeted), community/social action projects, supporting young people into training or work, providing informal mental health support, and supporting transitions."

Plans are also in place to establish a new team of "life coaches" within the youth service which, the report claims, would work with young people to address their mental health needs.

Coun Fiona Venner (Lab), the council's executive member for children and families, told the meeting: "There is an issue nationally that youth work does not have the recognition that it should as a profession.

"It should be on a par with social work in terms of the esteem youth workers are held in, because they do have a distinct range of skills and qualifications.

"We are really committed to youth work, but it is a national issue that there is a shortage and the profession is not as recognised as it should be."