ASCEL: Libraries and co-production Claire Styles

ASCEL: Libraries and co-production Claire Styles: Programme Manager The Reading Agency

Project aims: • Support libraries to develop year-round youth co-production built on libraries’ Universal Reading Offer (URO); • Identify partnership opportunities with Bridges and arts organisations; • Increase awareness of relevant accreditation schemes and funding opportunities.

Why develop a year-round offer? Benefits for libraries: • Engages the library users of the future • Benefits young people; develops skills and community engagement • Increases capacity to run key activities • Contributes to community cohesion • Raises library profile as a volunteer provider • Helps libraries meet statutory duty

Statutory Guidance for Local Authorities

• Connect young people with their communities, enabling them to contribute to society, including through volunteering; • Have a voice in decisions which affect their lives; • Opportunities to take part in activities; • Support personal and social development to build the capabilities they need for learning, work, and the transition to adulthood.

Why prioritise young people now? • • • •

17.5 million under 25s in the UK today 21.9% of under 25s unemployed 40% of young people volunteer 88% of youth media stories are negative

Recession impacts disadvantaged disproportionately: • 70% of excluded pupils have poor basic literacy. • People with poor literacy least likely to be employed at 30 • Reading for pleasure is the only out-of-school activity for 16s linked to securing managerial/ professional jobs

Benefits to young people • New skills and experience • For CV for education/ employment Recognition/ accreditation • Work experience • To meet new people/ for fun • To give something back • Incentives

Libraries’ youth volunteers, 2012 • 4,375 Summer Reading Challenge volunteers • 728 Reading Activists running 24 hubs • 950 World Book Night book givers Book selection Design library spaces Help with Under 5s Book reviews Book awards Work experience Mood boosting books

Reading groups Manga clubs Get It Loud Library consultation Magazine projects Six Book Challenge Bookswaps

Steering groups Friends groups Fundraising Intergenerational Film clubs Young Inspectors Performances

SCL Prioritised Toolbox Universal Library Offer Free Community Space

Reading Offer Reading groups and social reading activities

Programme Summer Reading Challenge Six Book Challenge

Online access/Virtual Services

Reading promotions

Expert Advice and Support

Reading challenges for adults and children

TRA Reading Promotions Programme

Author event / performances

Mood Boosting Books

Free Books Multimedia Reading Resources Community Outreach Services Targeted audiences (families, CYP, Older people) Information and signposting Learning space and support Local and family history resources

Bookgifting Public involvement/ Coproduction Information /sign posting Accessibility Services Targeted activities for specific audiences e.g. ethnic Online reading, resources and activites

Reading Groups for Everyone including Chatterbooks Bookstart and BookTime

Calendar hooks World Book Day/World Book Night Learning Hook Bookstart Week Summer Reading Challenge

Enhanced Offer Toolbox Programme Letterbox Club

National story telling week

Premier League Reading Stars

National library day

Booked Up

Black history month

Other Programmes TBC Partnerships

Health and Well Being Hook

Calendar Hooks

TV Book Club

Local history month National RG Day Make noise in libraries Carers Week Older people day Local Activities Art org

Partnerships Reading Partners BBC Quick Reads

Health Schools Literature Festivals Readers Days

Charities e.g. RNIB, Booktrust

Local Launch Events

Innovation & Development Evidence Shared evidence bank Innovation ns Digital Health Co-production: Young people/My Voice Workforce Developments Training to support the URO

Local Reading Service

Calendar hooks

First hooks: World Book Day/ Night • Join the Book Herd – WBD/N ambassadors • Social networking and website teen resources written by young volunteers • ‘Party pack’ of ideas being produced • to become book givers • Teen-friendly titles

Co-production - Approach underpinning Volunteering - Characteristics of co-production?

Co-production means… “… delivering public services in an equal and reciprocal relationship between professionals, people using services, their families and their neighbours. Where activities are co-produced in this way, both services and neighbourhoods become far more effective agents of change.”* (*Right here, right now: taking co-production into the

mainstream, NESTA; July 2010)

Features of co-production: • • • • • •

Recognising people as assets Building on people’s existing capabilities Mutuality and reciprocity Peer support networks Blurring distinctions Facilitating rather than delivering*

(*Right here, right now: taking co-production into the mainstream, NESTA; July 2010)

Volunteering: plan and sustain

Involving Young People in Advisory Groups – Flow Chart Can you answer these questions? - Can you explain the purpose of young peoples’ involvement? -Will it make a difference?

Yes

Do you know why you are setting up a young people’s advisory group?

-Do young people want to get involved? -Can you resource and support the group?

No

-Will you act on young people’s recommendations? - Are you willing to give up some power?

No

This is not the right thing for your organisation and young people at the moment

Having thought about it and talked to young people and your organisation do you now know why you want involve young people?

Yes

Now there are more things you to think about: How will you recruit young people? How will you make sure young people with additional needs can get involved? How will you make sure the group is open and new members are able to join? How will you support the young people find out the views of their peers? How will you promote the young peoples’ power and influence? How canyou make sure people from across your organisation are convinced of the need to change?

Will it make a difference? Yes

Are you clear? -Do young people want to get involved? -Can you resource and support the group? No -Will you listen and act on young people’s recommendations?it make a difference? This might not be thepeople right time to to get -Do young want involve young involved? people -Can you resource and support the group? -Will you listen and act on

Accreditation Award Duke of Edinburgh Award Youth Achievement/ Challenge Getting Connected

ASDAN Activities V50 and other vinspired awards

Arts Award

Age/ ability Age 14-25 highly motivated. Age 11-19 Any ability

Partners Schools Youth service

Time to achieve award 12-18 months

30-120hrs. 615hrs for a Challenge Age 14-25 Youth worker; 120hrs for a Suitable school Profile of for NEET learning Achievement YP. mentor, PRU. 30hrs per unit Age 13-19 Youth work 10-60 hours Any ability partners (Usually 30 hrs for the Award) Age 14-25 Cabinet Ideally within Any ability. Office 12 months. England only

Age 7-25

Youth work partners

Arts Council England/ Trinity

No time limit. Gold- 90hrs; Silver - 60hrs; Bronze - 40hrs Explore - 25hrs; Discover -20hrs

Content

External requirements Volunteering: library volunteer. Expedition: Skills: Taking part in library N/A to libraries. activities e.g. reading groups Any library based activity can None be counted towards Awards aligned to YP needs/ interests Units on Using Information, Exploring Risks and Getting and Giving Support Coping with Feelings are particularly relevant to more appropriate to library activities youth workers. Any library-based activity can None be counted. Awards aligned to YP’s needs & interests Volunteering: YP volunteer for None 10hrs (v10), 50hrs (v50) 100hrs (v100). Hrs logged online or by mobile app. Once hrs completed, YP receive certificate. Creative - Any art or media None activity can count towards an Arts Award.

How Approximate costs assessed? No cost for library service £48 p/a to register. £5-11.20 per YP. £130 staff training. £20 per YP plus £8 per unit. £350 staff training - optional

V100 needs a referee.

Portfolios assessed by a moderator.

£58.75 to register; £4.75 per YP; £79 staff training. None. Organisations can advertise opportunities on the site too.

Adviser training 95£110; YP’s materials £3-£6 Moderation & certificates: £2.50-£32

Fundraising and collaboration • Youth Voice funds • National Citizenship Service • vCashpoint • O2 ThinkBig • European Youth Programme

Using the URO as a framework, plan a year-round youth volunteer offer Consider: • Volunteer role(s) for each hook • Who you will work with • How you could involve young people • Timescales and milestones • Resource implications • Next steps

“Before being involved in Reading Activists, I would never have dreamed I could help organize author events or interview people, I would have been really scared and worried. There’s so many skills I’ve learnt, and things it’s opened me up to do, and I’m much better at reading now, and more confident all round. Having Padgate Library with Reading Activist opportunities stops kids hanging around on the street, and gets them to see what libraries can do for them”. Tom Hotson, 15, Reading Activist, Warrington