Equality impact assessment - substance education policy of the youth development service

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1. What is the name of the policy or service that is being assessed?

Substance Education policy of the Youth Development Service

2. What are the aims of the policy or service? Whose needs is it designed to meet? What are the current priorities?

The Youth Development Service aims to enable young people to make a successful transition from child to in dependent adult. In doing so, they develop an understanding and enthusiasm for learning and use this to realise their full potential as both individuals and members of their wider communities – locally, nationally and globally.

Aim of policy

This policy aims to provide a clear framework to direct the management and practice of youth work in relation to substance use.

Objectives of policy

• To provide direction for substance education, within the Youth Work Curriculum, endorsed by the management of the Youth Development Service and implemented by trained staff.
• To make clear statements about the use and possession of substances in places where youth work is taking place (cigarettes; alcohol; medicines; illegal drugs etc)
• To offer guidelines for managing an incident of substance use.
• To provide a framework for the management of premises with regard to substance use and possession of substances.
• To provide information about the legal issues regarding substances which are relevant to Wiltshire Youth Development Service.
• To identify further guidance available around screening and early identification.
• To identify further sources of information.

The current priorities in relation to this work are to:-

• ensure that youth service staff understand the policy and appropriate youth work practice in this curriculum area, that they have the knowledge and confidence to deliver this curriculum area effectively, including appropriate referral to specialist services.

3. In what ways might this policy or service affect some groups of people differently? Might some groups find it harder to access the service? Do some groups have particular needs that are not well met by the current policy or service?

• Young people living in rural areas rather than the market towns of Wiltshire may not have equal access to services or information about services.
• Young people who do not access Youth Service provision may lack awareness of the opportunities and services available to them.
• The Youth Development Service was in contact with 35% of the 13-19 year old population during 2005-06, thus 65% of young people were not in contact with the service. Through publicity campaigns in schools and other public places some of these young people may have been made aware of advice and information services and counselling provision offered by the Youth Development Service.
• 1.9% of the young people who were in contact with the service during 2005-06 were young people from black and minority ethnic groups, this is higher than the proportion of these young people in the 13-19 population. Contact with young people of black and minority ethnic groups is inconsistent across the county, reflecting inconsistency in practice as well as in the demography of the population.
• Of the young people who were in contact with the service during 2005-06, 2.26% were disabled young people; this is significantly lower than the proportion of disabled young people in the 13-19 year old population which is nationally considered to be 7%. Some young people in contact with the service may not describe themselves as disabled, this would have some impact on the statistics.
• Young people who are not ‘English speakers’ may not have equal access to information or services.
• Gay and lesbian young people may not have equal access to services because the Youth Development Service does not make targeted provision to meet the specific needs of these young people.

4. What evidence do you have for your judgement? Is there evidence of public concern (e.g. complaints)? Have staff raised concerns? Is there local or national research to suggest that there could be a problem?

• Wiltshire is a sparsely populated county; it has widely separated market towns, villages and isolated houses. Public transport is very limited within the rural areas, particularly during evenings when young people may wish to access youth work provision. The Wiltshire Assembly of Youth and other groups of young people have expressed concern about the lack of public transport available at times to meet their needs.
• Statistical information is gathered quarterly and annually to inform Youth Development Service planning and evaluation; statistics include service contacts including by ability, ethnicity and gender.
• The youth development service is in contact with approximately 35% of the 13-19 year olds. 65% of young people aged 13-19 years, are not in direct contact with the service, some will access information about opportunities and services available to them through promotional material in school and other public places.
• The 51 Minute Challenge research evidenced that young people and adult members of communities were not fully aware of the opportunities available to young people. The Spark website and radio have been developed to address this concern by involving young people in developing information sites which are relevant to them and their peers.
• The Youth Development Service does not make provision specifically for young people who are gay or lesbian.

5. Who have you consulted with as part of your assessment? What were the results? Have you published the results of that consultation? If so, where?

The Policy was written in partnership with staff of the Wiltshire Health Promotion service.

Consultation was undertaken with the Wiltshire Assembly of Youth, staff of the Youth Development Service, other health professionals and the police.

6. If you have found that the policy or service might have an adverse impact on a particular group of people, can you justify this?

It is not anticipated that this policy would have an adverse impact on any group of people.

Not all young people may benefit from the policy and the services which it underpins, attempts are being made to address this.

7. If the impact cannot be justified, what do you intend to do about this? Are there changes that you could introduce which would make the policy or service work better for this group of people? Is further research or consultation required?

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8. How will you monitor the take-up or impact of the policy or service in future?

• Evidence of examples of good youth work curriculum practice in relation to substance education work.
• Young people referred to Flux specialist services will be monitored.

9. What actions do you plan to take as a result of this equality impact assessment? Please state any resource implications

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10. There is a legal requirement to publish the outcomes of Equality Impact Assessments. Please outline how / where this will happen

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11. Name of person completing form

Head of Youth Development

Date assessment completed

26th July 2006

12. Senior manager approval

Assistant Director Resources, Improvement and Young People

Date

10 October 2007

Last updated: 13 May 2009