local& youth(work) policy& in flanders& · flanders? (3 regions,3...
TRANSCRIPT
Local . Youth(work)
Policy In Flanders
Vereniging Vlaamse Jeugddiensten ‘Federa&on of local youth services’
Official members: 98% of 308 municipali8es Target groups:
Municipal Youth Officers
Young people/Youth councils Eldermen of youth (poliFcians)
But first things first
Flanders? (3 regions, 3 communi4es, Complicated!)
-‐ Belgium: 30.528km² (Sweden:450.295)
-‐ 11.200.000 hab (Sweden: 9.800.000) -‐ FL: 57% -‐ FR: 42% -‐ GE: 1%
-‐ Federal government -‐ Flemish government -‐ Wallonian
government -‐ Brussels
Youth, culture, sport, fishing, tourism, work,… (EXCLUSIVE!)
Flanders: 308 Municipali4es
Origins of local youth policy • Very long and strong tradi8on of youth work in Flanders • Quan8ty and diversity is +/-‐ unique in Europe
• Concept: ac8vi8es organized by youth for youth
The defini4on of youth work in Flanders Youthwork: Sociocultural ac8vi8es based on non-‐commercial goals, for or by young people (voluntary and 3 – 30yr), with educa8onal/pedagocic support. Huge variety! • Small local youth mouvements • Youth clubs (and big youth centers with staff) • Playground organisa8ons • Summer camp organisa8ons
• Youthwork focussed on vulnerable children • Self organisa8ons (f.e. of etnic minori8es,…) • ….
Youth work in flanders (2007) Number
Youth movements 2.057 Poli8cal youth movements 496 Movements of young people 459 Youth clubs 409 Amateur arts 399 Students’ associa8ons 267 Playground organiza8ons 188 Centres for music ac8vi8es 116 Youth associa8ons which organize par8es, concerts, fes8vals 111 Thema8c youth movements 97 Youth associa8ons for disabled young people 96 Ini8a8ves for socially deprived children and young people 93 Immigrant self organiza8ons 85 Workshops for children and young people 75 Others 198 TOTAAL 5.146
308 municipali8es in Flanders
How is local youthwork supported?
MunicipaliFes (n=308) NaFonal Youth Work OrganisaFons (n=62)
Local youth work work (youth mouvements, youth centers, playgardens, …. (most of them are NGO-‐structured or Municipal.
EUR
EUR
EUR EUR
About ‘na4onal youth work organisa4ons’ • Because VVJ is and is not like KEKS a.o. • Na8onal youth work organisa8ons (educ. support)
→ Na8onal organisa8on for youth clubs and centers → Na8onal youth mouvements → Na8onal organisa8ons for the rights of vulnerable children
→ and so on…
Local youth (work) policy
Origins of local youth policy in Flanders:
Youth work policy Mobility
EducaFon
Health care
Social welfare
InformaFon/communicaFon
…
Primarily focused on suppor8ng youth work
Mission
“We go for beper, more and integral local youth policy” support local and urban youth units in preparing and carrying out the youth policy
Basic principles
1. Categorical approach
P
Federal state of Belgium Flemish community
Provincial government
Local government Policy Policy areas Categories
Information Justice Health care Employment Finance…
EDUCATION POLICY
- education - training …
SOCIAL POLICY
- education - training …
CULTURE POLICY
- arts - sports - tourism - media - organisat. …
PUBLIC SPACE POLICY
- mobility - traffic - environ- mental …
Youth policy
Elderly people
Migrant people
Disabled people
Socially Disadv. P.
Youth councils Courts Juveniles Y.Employment pr. Pedriatic hospital
Primary sch. Counselling centres for students
Y.I.S. day-care Youth-care
Sportclub museum library youthwork y council
Cycle-roads. And infrastruct. Playgrounds City Parks
Basic principles
2. Integrated youth policy with youth work policy at the core
Basic principles 3. Youth policy: integral and inclusive as well
4. Complementary youth policy: municipal autonomy with (some liple) impulses from the Flemish government
5. Ambivalent youth service: policy planner and organiser/field worker = FLEXIBLE
Basic principles 6. Children’s rights as star8ng point 7. VVJ as promotor of local youth policy, every local youth service can ask support from VVJ
Local youth policy un4ll 2015:
• Flemish government supports local youth policy → Budget from the Flemish government: about 21 million EUR • Distributed among 308 municipali8es according to certain indicators (popula8on under 30…)
→ 3 policy priori8es • Support for local youth work policy • Par8cipa8on of socially disadvantaged children and young people in youth work ini8a8ves
• Youth culture
This stops 31/12/2015
From 01/01/2016
• Flemish government will ‘measure’ youth and youth work. • Municipali8es are ‘supported’ (f.e. by VVJ) but will have 100% autonomy. (some other fields stay linked, like ‘child care’) • Good prac8ces are from great value (ex: Child Friendly Ci8es)
We are…
A combinaFon of: • member organiza8on (15 VTE) • a service plavorm for youth policy
A few figures: • Nr. of municipali8es in Flanders: 308 • Nr. of members of VVJ: 300 (actualy 322 – districts + provinces) • Nr. of staff in youth services 820 (617 FTE)
1 or more Youth officer In youth office
1 or more Youth officer In another office
1 or more combinaFonofficer
intercommunal
No staff
Type youth service 2004 2007 2010 Aantal % Aantal % Aantal %
One or more youth civil servants for youth
193 62,87 212 69,06 228 69,94
One of more youth civil servants for youth in other policies
21 6,84 12 3,91 19 5,83
One of more combinaFon civil servants
78 25,41 67 21,82 74 22,70
Intermuncipal civil servant 12 3,91 4 1,30 2 0,61
No civil servant for youth 3 0,98 12 3,91 3 0,92
Respons 307 307 326 types in 307 gemeenten
Youth services in Flanders (remember: ambivalent)
Mission
“We go for beper, more and integral local youth policy” support local and urban youth units in preparing and carrying out the youth policy
Our public: the triangle
Youth council ADVICE
Youth service INFORMATION
SUPPORT
City council DECISION
Youth policy
Output
• Helpdesk for all 3 target groups (in agreement with VVSG, by the way)
• Lots of communica8on (digital, printed magazine, books, …)
• Lots of educa8on → educaFonal days in march (+200 part) → expert-‐traject for youth officers → youth work training (CO2) → On demand
• Core business is ‘exchange’ (‘warm’ connecFon) → 7x3 meeFngs/yr (prov + CSO + Bxl) → internaFonal (Erasmus+) → themaFcal → For youth/youth councils (4x with +/-‐ 400 part) → …
• Child friendly ciFes • Beïng in Flanders (lobbying?)
Outro: Local Youth Council
• In: → Delegates from local youth work ini8a8ves → Other interested young people
• Out: → Members of the city council or any other elected mandate
• Apending: → Civil servant (support) → Alderman for youth
Main tasks
• Advice to city council → Obligated: general policy plan and youth policy → Own ini8a8ve: anything concerning children and young people
• Youth policy • Ac8vi8es • Representa8on
Reality bites?
• Not every youth council is very ac8ve or involved → Every 2 or 3 years different youth council → Agenda: owen not very sexy, boring → Lack of knowledge
• Poli8cians are ‘afraid’ of youth councils → Pain in the… -‐> ignorance → But, strong youth councils can be a strong support for the local policy (honesty)
thanks
