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CYI policy 

Page Last Updated : 08 January 2007

 

Policy of the Bourne Children and Youth Initiative
(An 'equal opportunities' organisation)

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
MANAGEMENT
INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITIES
TRAINING
INVOLVEMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE
FINANCES
KEEPING CHILDREN SAFE
COMPLAINTS

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To provide a high quality attractive youth service for children and young people of the Bourne, Farnham, including those who are less privileged and those who have specific problems, by

Providing fun and a stimulating range of activities for a wide spectrum of children and young people.

Involving children and young people in the development and running of the service.

Recruiting a trained Youth Worker and sessional youth workers in support where appropriate.

Recruiting and training volunteer youth leaders and helpers.

Planning and providing suitable premises.

Ensuring the service keeps to best practice standards of safety for children and young people.

Liaising with other providers of related services.

MANAGEMENT

The CYI Management Committee will have overall control of the CYI including policy, development, fund raising, insurance, management of the Youth Workers, premises and liaison with the parish and outside organisations. It will be regarded as a Sub Committee of the Bourne PCC.
The CYI Management Committee will meet at least once a term. The Chair will produce an Annual Report which will include a review of activities and the Treasurer a Financial Report. These will be submitted to the CYI Annual Meeting to be held each February. The PCC and other organisations which have an interest will receive copies of the Annual Report.

Insurance. The CYI will arrange appropriate insurance cover for all staff, volunteers and young people.

The CYI Financial Account is a sub account of the Bourne Parish Account. The financial year runs from January to December.

The Clubs/Projects Committee will be chaired by the elected Leader of the Club/Project volunteers with the Youth Worker acting as deputy. The elected volunteer Chair will be a member of the Management Committee. Elections for the Chair will take place annually. Meetings will be held at least four times a year.

The elected Chair will be responsible for presenting a report on the Clubs to the Management Committee.

Members of the Clubs Committee will probably include the Club Leaders, volunteers and at least two young people may be represented through the Youth Action Team arrangements and any additional members may be co-opted as necessary. Members of the CYI Management Committee may need to attend for specific items of business.

The Clubs/Projects Committee will be responsible for:

Ensuring compliance with CYI Policy

Implementing decisions made at the Management Committee

Developing a spirit of team work between CYI Clubs and Projects

Receiving and discussing brief reports covering finances, attendance, events and feedback from the young people, from each Club/Project.

Discussing problems arising from any Club/Project

Receive a brief report from the Chair of activities of the Management Committee on the strategic situation and commenting on any policy decisions

Co-ordinating equipment purchases by Clubs

Discussing or raising finance, fund raising, management, insurance, and Children Act procedures

Considering training needs for Club Leaders, helpers and members

Preparing an annual report of Club activities for the CYI Management Committee.

Individual Club/Project Core Teams will each have a Leader and in some cases a Sessional worker. They will set up a small team, probably including a treasurer and parent and young person representatives. The young people may be represented through the Youth Action Team.
Club/Project Leaders will be appointed by the Youth Worker and CYI Manager. References must be provided and Police checks must be completed.
Club/Project Core Teams will meet on a regular basis and always prior to each Clubs Committee meeting.

Each Club/Project Team Core Team will be responsible for:

Implementing CYI Management Committee Policy

Setting up the programme in consultation with the Sessional Youth Worker where present. Ensuring the Youth Worker is informed of activities away from base so the PCC can be notified thus complying with the conditions for the insurance of staff and young people

Meeting the needs of the children and young people. Encouraging the development of Youth Action Teams

Defining Club objectives and discipline. Attracting new members

Ensuring the safety of the young people in their care at the clubs

  1. Adhering to the requirements of the Child Protection regulations

  2. Having a minimum of two helpers per session with at least one of each sex. NB Football and Cricket Clubs unable to comply currently

  3. Having a (mobile) telephone at each session

  4. Making parents aware that they are responsible for the delivery and collection of children. Helpers will only assist in emergencies, when two helpers should always be present. Young people choosing to leave before the end of a session cannot be restrained. Their safety outside the Club will be the parents' responsibility. No child will be left alone at the end of a session.

  5. Keeping a record of all accidents and incidents in an incident book. Each entry to be signed by two helpers including the Sessional Worker where present. (See "Diocese of Guildford - Keeping Children Safe")

  6. Keeping properly stocked first aid box and, as soon as training permits, having a trained first aider present. Arranging for procedures in the event of an emergency eg. fire.

  7. Where activities away from base are planned, the Youth Worker must be consulted over safety procedures

  8. Checking insurance cover for new activities.

Arranging for helpers to open and lock up the premises and keeping to the security rules for each site

Tuck should be sold at retail prices

Keeping a register of all Club members and their attendances, including name, age, contact phone number, address, school, and any special needs. A database is the ideal way of doing this. Recommended training to the Management Committee if any helper and the Club would benefit.

INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITIES

THE YOUTH WORKER Finding and supporting young people with special needs, supporting training and issuing Volunteer Agreements (Appendix 1) to Club Leaders and Volunteers, liaising with other organizations, providing services for young people and advising on developments in line with the job description. The Youth Worker with the CYI Manager will be responsible for developing and setting up new Clubs/Projects, finding and training new leaders and ensuring the regulations relating to Keeping Children Safe are kept. (Appendix 2)

PAID CLUB SESSIONAL WORKERS are responsible to the Youth Worker for their own work with the clubs 

CYI MANAGER Responsible to the CYI Management Committee for the day to day management of the Youth Manager in cooperation with the Youth Worker will be responsible for developing and setting up new Clubs/Projects, finding and training new leaders and ensuring the regulations relating to Keeping children safe are kept.

ADMINISTRATOR Supporting the Clubs, Youth Worker, CYI Manager and providing administrative support to the CYI Management committee and Clubs/Projects Committee. The Administrator will also be responsible for the Shop 12 Firgrove Hill and its use..

VOLUNTEER CLUB LEADERS 

Will abide by the Policy of the CYI Management Committee. They will work in partnership with the Sessional Worker where present. They will recruit suitable helpers and arrange for them to work with the Sessional Worker, where attached to a club, to ensure effective running. They will facilitate:

The completion of the child protection forms, passing them on to the CYI Manager for filing.

Will work with the Youth Worker to set up, arrange accommodation for, and organize their Club/Project and Core Team.

Expect training and support from the Youth Worker.

Ensure the safety of the young people in their care.

Keep a record of attendance of helpers and make sure sufficient are present at each session.

See a record is made of all equipment used and all equipment needs.

Attend Clubs/Project Core Team Meetings or arrange for a deputy if necessary.

VOLUNTEER HELPERS will

Read and sign the volunteer agreement.

Expect to be supported by the CYI in line with the provisions of their contract.

Abide by the policy of the CYI Management Committee and any decisions made by that Committee.

CLUB TREASURER'S tasks include

Recording all Club/Project subscriptions, tuck takings, expenses and other money transactions and providing regular statements and an annual report for the Clubs Committee.

Requesting a £10 float at the start of each session.

Arranging for payment of expenses.

Handling the CYI equipment purchase budget.

Ensuring the money arrangements of the Club fit with the requirements of the CYI Treasurer and the PCC of the Bourne Parish.

TRAINING is vital for providing a high quality service

a) Youth Worker will offer training to volunteers where he/she has the skill. The Youth Worker and volunteers will be offered further training where the CYI Committee thinks it is in the interests of the service.
b) Club/Project Leaders and volunteer helpers will receive training in keeping children safe and on special topics relating to their own groups.
c) Young people will be encouraged to take responsibility within the Clubs in line with the Youth Action Team Process. They may offer help, where appropriate, in the community. They may need training to do this.

INVOLVEMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE

It is vital that young people are given the opportunity to mature and take responsibility. CYI must help by giving them the chance to develop their talents by sharing responsibility for the CYI in line with the Youth Action Team Process. They must be encouraged to become involved in running of groups, supporting each other and helping other more needy groups in the community, as well as fund raising activities - hopefully for other charities as well as the CYI.

FINANCES

The Parish Treasurer takes the final responsibility for the financial affairs of the CYI as part of the overall parish finances.
The Treasurer of the CYI Management Committee will oversee the financial affairs of the CYI, in accordance with the requirements of the PCC,
a) Overseeing the money management of the Clubs by:

Ensuring that subscriptions, tuck money, grants from the CYI Management Committee and other organisations and all other monies are properly recorded.

Purchasing of equipment and any other "spends" are properly recorded.

b) Seeing that all CYI fund raising and other income and expenditure is properly recorded and reported to the CYI Management Committee (these accounts are maintained by the Parish Treasurer)
c) producing financial advice at Management Committee Meetings and an annual statement of the CYI accounts for the Annual Meeting of the CYI and Parish Treasurer.

KEEPING CHILDREN SAFE

The CYI will work within current legislation affecting children and young people and the Guildford Diocesan Board of Education guidelines on Child Protection.

It is the responsibility of all workers in the CYI, both paid and voluntary, to ensure that the rights and interests of all children and young people attending clubs and partaking in activities are protected and respected. This includes aspects of gender, race, religion, and disability.

Particular care must be taken in the following areas:

Physical Safety

A telephone, mobile where necessary, must be immediately available where any club or activity group meets so that help can be summoned in any difficult situation. It is recommended that a list of emergency numbers is kept e.g. parents, Police, and Social Services.

All premises used for youth activities must be surveyed for potential hazards, including, electrical wiring, scalding kettles, cooking facilities and protection of untoughened glass where robust physical activities take place.

An accident record must be kept at each Club/Project and be signed by two helpers on each occasion that a hazardous event takes place. These must be reported to the Youth Worker or the CYI Manager. Prompt action must be taken to prevent a recurrence of the accident.

Where children are transported by volunteers, no vehicle will carry more children or young people than there are safety belts to protect them. Normal child protection advice must be observed. On planned outings private car owners should inform their insurance company that they will be undertaking this service. This should not result in additional premiums but will make making any possible claims simpler.

Where uncontrollable behaviour takes place, threatening the safety of helpers, children and young people, the police must be called, and the Youth Worker or CYI Manager informed.

First aid boxes must be available at all Clubs/Projects. As soon as possible it is hoped that it will be possible to offer first aid training to members of each club or activity. Very particular care must be taken where children and young people are taken swimming to ensure that an adult who can swim and who has some knowledge of life saving techniques remains out of the water in a position where supervision can take place.

Alcohol. It is illegal to supply any child or young person under the age of 18 with any alcoholic drink, including the so called low alcohol drinks eg. Mad Dog. Groups for young people under the age of 18 should not visit public houses except where non-alcoholic bars are available. Young people must not bring alcoholic  drinks to clubs/projects. No young person should be admitted to a club/project if it is suspected by the Club Leader that the young person has been drinking alcohol. The Youth Worker or CYI Manager should be informed.

Cigarettes. No smoking should be allowed at youth clubs/projects.

Drugs. No illegal substance can be permitted at any club/project. If it is suspected that any young person is under the influence of any illegal substance, he/she should not be admitted to the club/project and the parents and the Youth Worker or the CYI Manager should be informed immediately.

Pornography. Any pornographic literature brought to clubs or activities must be confiscated and returned to the parents. The Youth Worker or the CYI Manager must be informed. Videos used at Clubs or activities must be appropriate for the age group to which they are being shown.

Child Abuse Prevention. The Youth Worker and each club leader and regular volunteer will have their police records checked for convictions for child abuse. All clubs/projects should have leaders and helpers of each sex. No child or young person should be interviewed alone by any leader or helper. No child or young person should be taken anywhere by an unaccompanied leader or helper. This is for the protection of both the helpers and the young people. (Appendix 2).   Leaders and helpers will receive training in when to suspect child abuse. Any child or young person who discloses that they have been abused to a leader or helper should be allowed to discuss this with two members of the club staff. The child or young person should be encouraged to write down a description of what happened. The Youth Worker or the CYI Manager should be informed when abuse is suspected or alleged. Advice should be sought from the Social Services Dept. or the Police.

COMPLAINTS

Verbal complaints should be dealt with immediately by the Club Leader, with a second member of staff present if possible. The name and address of the complainant must be recorded and a written record of the complaint made. The Youth Worker or CYI Manager must be informed immediately. Written complaints must be given to the Youth Worker or CYI Manager as soon as possible.