Innovation in youth services The Quality Leaders Project (Youth) empowers young people Shiraz...

Innovation in youth services

The Quality Leaders Project (Youth) empowers young

people

Shiraz Durrani; Elizabeth Smallwood; Hannah Richens; Catherine Lusted

2008 EFMD Conference on Public Sector Management Development

"Empowering the Public: Management Development Implications of Further Public Services Reforms in Personalising Services, and Applying New

Management Tools to Create Public Value“Irish Management Institute, Dublin, Ireland

29-30 May 2008

EFMD Conference on Public Sector Management Development (May 2008) IMI

Need for change and innovation Global changes: globalisation, technological

developments and rise of BRIC countries National laws and policies change with times Services to young people often marginalised,

traditional models have not worked Thus urgent need for change and innovation All these have implication for management

development: QLP-Y a possible way forward


UK Government’s vision for public services

Public value Value created through public funding that

requires managers to interact with public to design, plan, provide & evaluate service provision to ensure that services are responsive to citizens’ needs

Services need to seek ways to better engage and discuss with the public about outcomes citizens want and thus create services that respond to the real needs of citizens


User-driven services ‘Unlock talent’ in local communities by giving

citizens more power over decisions & services 2009: local authorities statutory duty to

inform, consult, involve local people in running services

User-driven services go beyond user consultation, user representation: they actively involve people in service design and delivery


Personalisation of services Move beyond choice in service providers to

involvement by citizens in design of service Shift from service provision (e.g.

performance against targets) to deal with needs of people

Thus move toward personalised public services requiring ‘service transformation’ (1)

Requires fundamental shift in the way services delivered


Co-production Service users work with practitioners and

professionals to ‘co-produce’ desired outcomes

Successful public services will both enable and engage people they serve

Better value for money will hinge on improved outcomes that can be expected from increased user involvement in service provision


Managers & professionals “Move out of traditional roles as

‘experts’ and ‘providers’ into partnership models that work with ‘clients’ and ‘communities’

Find a solution together to the complexity of their problem … redefine the ‘problem’

Move from being ‘fixers’ who focus on problems to ‘catalysers’ who encourage people’s abilities (1)


Roles for service professionals Advisers: helping users to assess

needs Navigators: help users find services Brokers: helping users to put together

a package of services that meets their needs

Service: direct service provision Risk assessors & auditors: helping

users assess risks that may arise (1)


Managing resistance to change Service professionals likely to be wary

about perceived threats to their autonomy and expertise; might resist giving users a bigger role

Government has a key role in changing culture of public service; programmes for public service skills, e.g. Professional Skills for Government

Public service staff should be driven by strong belief in public service and personal commitment to people they serve (1)


The Quality Leaders Project (Youth) Barnet, Haringey, Lincolnshire, Portsmouth Provide Quality Leader (QL) for 2 days per

week and a QLP-Y team led by QLs Also provide mentor & sponsor for QLs Project Group (London Met.) provides vision,

academic input, support and co-ordination QLs consult young people and develop service

development plans; implement the plan over 2+ years

Project independently evaluated Funded by Paul Hamlyn Foundation


The Quality Leaders Project (Youth) offer Knowledge: policies & laws; greater

awareness, innovation; equality & justice; communities

Skills: strategic management & leadership; consulting & empowering young people; editing, writing & research; change agents

Experience: prepare & implement service development proposals; lead teams

Learning outcomes: academic credits


Learning Expand horizons, widen perspectives,

broaden outlook: global, national, local Respond to trends, laws and policies Learn by doing; work based learning;

activist approach: theory to practice & back to theory

Critical reflective practice; time and space to think; express views and question policies & “practices that deaden”


Developing understanding Role of information in ensuring social

justice Analyse political, social and economic

context of information Co-production & partnerships: between &

within local authorities; young people & service professionals

Connect academic world with: workplaces; professions; local government; communities


QLP-Y in Barnet Following consultation with young people, QL

initiated & supported a film by young people ‘I’m Lovin’ the Library’: library from their

eyes, telling us what they want from the service

QL organised Playstation competition: Reached 131 young people in three days 70% were male; included high proportion of BME 3% disabled; 2% asylum seekers or refugees


QL leads on Library Youth Board Liberation (slavery): dance skills, lyric

and poetry writing skills, music composition

Drama: gangs & bullying as requested by young people. Drama filmed & edited by young people; premiere held

Next: residential weekend for youth core group, develop team skills for a formal Library Youth Board – QL leads on this


QLP-Y develops QL and service Challenges library stereotypes, encourages

the socially excluded into libraries Increases membership & visitor numbers Develops sustainable relationship with Youth

Service, charities, businesses and young people

Breaks staff stereotypes of young people leading to a more welcoming, positive attitude

Peer recommendation for service QL leads, and learns from, this process


The QLP-Y ethos Give up power to gain greater strategic

power Bring justice to workplace: empower users Activist managers on the side of citizens Show there is an alternative to the “normal” Break barriers: hierarchical, cultural, silos Create time and space to think; share ideas Manage resistance, take risks, change

cultures


QLP-Y empowering the public QLP-Y is a comprehensive model

that addresses personalisation of services and the creation of public value by an innovative management development programme that empowers managers themselves with new vision, knowledge, skills and experiences


Personal testimony - 1 “Participation in QLP has changed my life

by enabling me to see clearly the ‘bigger picture’. It has been an intellectually stimulating, and frequently a challenging experience. It has provided first hand evidence of how libraries really can change the lives of some of our most vulnerable and needy young people” – Quality Leader (1)


Personal testimony - 2“As QL, I have had opportunities I would never have

been offered otherwise. By working in partnership with agencies and council departments I have developed my negotiating and networking skills. My ability to work with young people has improved, I now feel confident talking to them outside of a teacher/student role. My confidence has grown enormously. Seeing my achievements in action is so rewarding and my lifetime fear of public speaking is reducing. My project management skills have progressed hugely. By always finding a solution to problems that arise, I am beginning to feel less anxious when things go wrong” – QL (1)


Personal testimony - 3

“What makes QLP-Y different is the conscious link made between the development of services and the development of staff. Participation in QLP-Y has taught us the value of using initiatives such as the film project, not simply to improve services, but also as a tool to develop key leadership skills within our staff. Through the experiences afforded by leading the QLP-Y project, which are beyond those inherent in her day to day role, the QL has developed considerable confidence and management skills which will benefit the long term development of the library service. She has become an ambassador for young people and her influence is contributing to service-wide cultural change”–Mentor (1)

Innovation in youth services The Quality Leaders Project (Youth) empowers young people Shiraz...

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