SEELB Youth Service: Sponsorship Scheme

Overview

Youth Service Providers in the Board area should seek recognition by the SEELB through Registration as a youth organisation.

Sponsorship

The SEELB Youth Service Sponsorship Scheme provides financial assistance and professional support to established Youth Organisations who wish to extend their programmes to offer a substantial youth work curriculum to young people.

Sponsored Units/Organisations are divided into two categories:

Level 1 Units are established Part time Voluntary Youth Organisations registered with the SEELB which offer a range of youth work opportunities to their membership. Level 1 Units will be expected to work to a Curriculum Agreement with the SEELB in accordance with the Northern Ireland Youth Service Curriculum.

CRITERIA

To qualify for financial assistance Level 1 Units must fulfil the following criteria:

• Should be Registered with the SEELB for a period of, at least, six months
• Have an appropriate constituted Management Committee representative of the local community including young people
• Have an appropriate Constitution
• Have an approved Child Protection Policy
• Provide the Youth Section with details of a feasible financial and operational structure
• Have an appropriately trained Leadership Team
• Have adequate insurance cover
• Enter into a Curriculum Agreement with the SEELB which will ensure that opportunities are offered to young people in, at least, three areas of the Northern Ireland Youth Service Curriculum
• Be active on a minimum of 30 weeks per year with at least one session per week (a session will normally be of at least two hours duration)
• Normally have a membership of, at least, twenty five young people and an average attendance of fifteen at each two hour session
• The unit should not be linked to a political party and the unit’s primary intent must not be proselytizing.

Level 2 Units are established Part time Voluntary Youth Organisations registered with the SEELB, which offer a comprehensive range of youth work opportunities to their membership. Level 2 Units will be expected to provide significant services to young people in their area and will work to a Curriculum Delivery Agreement with the SEELB in accordance with the Northern Ireland Youth Service Curriculum.

CRITERIA To qualify for financial assistance Level 2 Units must fulfil the following criteria:

• Have a Management Structure appropriate to the supervision of an organisation at this level
• Work to an appropriate Constitution (approved by the SEELB Youth Section) and have a Child Protection Policy in accordance with SEELB requirements
• Have adequate Insurance Cover
• Have a membership of, at least, 75 young people in the 4-25 years age range and an average attendance per session of 40 young people at each three hour session
• Operate, at least, 35 weeks per year
• Operate, at least, one session per week (a session should be, at least, 3 hours)
• Have appropriately trained leaders in ratio to attendance (NIELB “Guidance on the Establishment or Review of Part time Youth Worker Posts”)
• Have access to appropriate facilities
• Enter into a Curriculum Delivery Agreement with the SEELB, which will ensure the delivery of, at least, five areas of the Northern Ireland Youth Service Curriculum on an annual basis.
• Adhere to the SEELB Sponsorship Scheme and Terms and Conditions for Voluntary Youth Organisations.
• The unit’s primary intent must not be proselytizing.
• The unit should not be linked to a political party and no aspect of the activity should be party political in intention, use or presentation; or likely to be perceived as discriminatory on grounds of religion, race, gender or disability.

Level 3 Units are established Full Time Voluntary Youth Organisations, registered with the SEELB, which offer youth work opportunities to their membership through delivery of the Northern Ireland Youth Service Curriculum. Level 3 Units include 20 hour graded Youth Units and Full Time graded Youth Units.

CRITERIA

To qualify for financial assistance Level 3 Units must fulfil the following criteria:

• Have a Management Structure appropriate to the supervision of an organisation at this level
• Work to an appropriate Constitution (approved by the SEELB Youth Section) and have a Child Protection Policy in accordance with SEELB requirements
• Have adequate Insurance Cover
• Have a membership of, at least, 80 young people in the 4-25 years age range and an average attendance per session of more than 40 young people over 5 evenings per week.
• Where a 20 hour Youth Worker is employed rather than a Full Time Youth Worker, the unit must be open 4 evening sessions per week.
• Operate, at least, 46 weeks per year and have appropriately trained leaders in ratio to attendance (NIELB “Guidance on the Establishment or Review of Part Time Youth Worker Posts”)
• Have access to appropriate facilities
• Enter into a Service Level Agreement with the SEELB, which will ensure the delivery of the Northern Ireland Youth Service Curriculum on an annual basis. Adhere to all requirements
• contained in the Service Level Agreement
• The unit’s primary intent must not be proselytizing.
• The unit should not be linked to a political party and no aspect of the activity should be party political in intention, use or presentation; or likely to be perceived as discriminatory on grounds of religion, race, gender or disability.

Full Time Units will be expected to cover all areas of the Northern Ireland Youth Service Curriculum and have extensive innovative youth work programmes.