Vibe, a Liverpool-based youth services provider has launched a brand new vision to transform the future of youth services in the UK.
Vibe’s vision aims to put young people at the heart of vibrant communities, by supporting them to build strong relationships.
Over the past decade, funding for youth work has been cut by nearly £1 billion according to the YMCA, despite the ever-increasing challenges faced by young people. The need for youth services is highlighted now more than ever, with many young people feeling isolated as a result of the Covid-19 crisis. A recent study by online mental health support provider, Kooth, shows that loneliness in young people has increased by 56 per cent when compared to the same time last year.
In response to this, Vibe has announced a renewed ambition for the future of youth services across the country, offering a collaborative approach with the aim of creating a National Network for Teenage Relationships. Formerly known as Knowsley Youth Mutual, Vibe are this week unveiling a refreshed brand along with their renewed vision for the future of the youth sector.
Currently delivering its sessions digitally, Vibe’s team of trusted youth workers have continued to offer support in their communities throughout the Covid-19 crisis.64 per cent of the young people using Vibe’s services said that they were having fewer arguments with their family, and 91 per cent felt like they had someone to talk to, demonstrating the positive impact that the organisation is having
Vibe is based in Knowsley, an area which is ranked nationally as the second most deprived authority and which has the highest proportion of young people who are not in education or employment.
Vibe’s vision focuses on a four-stage relationship model – underpinned by a Theory of Change – working with young people to improve their relationships with themselves, with those close to them, with others around them and with their communities.
By creating the National Network for Teenage Relationships, Vibe hopes to form a platform for youth service and support providers across the country to share best practice and learnings, to help provide young people with the support they need.
Paul Oginsky, Vibe Chief Executive, said:
“Young people are at the heart of vibrant communities, but nationally, we are at a crossroads. Funding for youth work has been cut significantly in recent years, but the needs of young people continue to grow. To address this gap, we are delivering this renewed and exciting approach to youth services.
“We believe in a collaborative approach – sharing our learnings and best practice across areas such as research and insights, curriculum and programme design, evaluation, and staff training. By working in partnership, and creating this National Network for Teenage Relationships to share our learnings and best practice with like-minded organisations across the country, we know we can support more young people together than we could alone.”
Leigh Middleton, Chief Executive, National Youth Agency, added:
“For young people, their motivation in life and their ability to function is intrinsically linked to how they feel about themselves, their ability to relate to others and the ways in which they are able to cope with their feelings and emotions.
“Youth work is all about developing young people’s personal, social, mental and political development and supporting the growth of their personal skills to be able to engage, connect and relate to peers and to learn life skills to move from childhood to adulthood is essential.
“Organisations like Vibe do vital work in supporting young people to make that transition successfully. Education system doesn’t always provide the life skills and resilience to be able to make the transition, so youth workers are critical, now more than ever before.
“I’m excited about the prospect of this new approach to youth work and look forward to seeing organisations coming together to support our future generations.”
To find out more about Vibe and its vision for the future of youth services, visit: vibeuk.org
