TENDERS INVITED FOR REFORMS IN YOUTH WORKFORCE

One of the numerous e-mails that pour into my inbox is a daily briefing from "PublicNet" an organisation which claims to provide an integrated e-mail and web site service for everyone concerned with the governance and management of public services. (Their words, not mine!).

According to their website (http://www.publicnet.co.uk/about) PublicNet "focuses on the issues challenging all parts of the public sector and encourages the sharing of good management practice. It monitors progress towards a seamless delivery of services and brings news and views about partnership working across central and local government, the health service, non departmental bodies, and the voluntary and private sectors."

Anyway, today's offering included "TENDERS INVITED FOR REFORMS IN YOUTH WORKFORCE" and its reproduced below. If you actually bother to read it then you might wonder who exactly makes up the "Children's Workforce Development Council" This appears to be another of those Quangos that are springing up like mushrooms. This one was set up in 2005 and is supposed to support over half a million people in the children's workforce across England, including those in childcare provision, learning mentors, education welfare, foster care and social care.

Their website (http://www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/why-were-here) does acknowledge there are other people who work with children who are not covered by the Children's Workforce Development Council, these are people like teachers, police and health service professionals. However, don't worry the Children's Workforce Development Council works closely with colleagues in the Children's Workforce Network, a completely separate quango (http://www.childrensworkforce.org.uk/) to address common issues across the whole of the children's workforce and to find answers to common challenges.

"TENDERS INVITED FOR REFORMS IN YOUTH WORKFORCE"

Bids are being invited from organisations that want to deliver a major programme of reform for professionals working with young people. The Children's Workforce Development Council is seeking tenders for five projects which, it says, will contribute to improving the lives of young people and their families.

The projects include proposals for leadership and management, building the capacity of the Third Sector and developing a common platform of skills and competences across the youth workforce. Bids are being invited from contractors who will deliver each of the elements in line with the Department of Children, Schools and Families' 10-year strategy for the youth workforce.

Keith Brumfitt, Director of Strategy at the Children's Workforce Development Council said ‘Aiming High for Young People' had set the target of developing a skilled and confident workforce in order to improve outcomes for young people. "Our youth workforce has shown considerable commitment and versatility over the years, providing much needed services to young people and their families across England," he said and added, "They have a number of key strengths which need to be built on. These five tenders are the start of the journey to achieving the step change towards a world-class workforce which meets the complex demands of young people today and in the future."

Tenders are being invited for youth workforce leadership and management development programmes to ensure that by the end of March 2011 those leading and managing youth services will have the skills to deliver integrated services for young people and common apprenticeships and a common foundation degree will be in place.