Easing the Strain
Easing the Strain
What is Easing the Strain?
‘Easing the Strain’ is the second phase of our ‘Under Strain’ campaign which aims:
‘To entrench YIACS in youth policy in order to ensure access to the best advice, counselling and support for all young people as and when they need it.'
Quick links to content:
What is the problem?
What have we done?
What can you do to help?
What is the problem
Since the May election we have a new government with a radically different agenda to the last and have had a budget with deep cuts in public spending. We now operate in a world of sustained reductions in expenditure, a move away from central support and a ‘Big Society’ where the intention is to publically fund only the most effective services.
We have seen national cuts beginning to bite at local level, with dedicated youth sector spending hardest hit. Some local authorities have seen voluntary sector provision as an easy target for cuts, while others have cut YIACS together with their Connexions spending.
‘Easing the Strain’ sets out to show that YIACS are an extremely effective way of delivering interventions which are themselves proven to have excellent outcomes for young people and save money on crisis interventions in the future. We want to:
• Ease the Strain on YIACS by making the case for continued and sustained funding of their services
• Ease the Strain on local councils, health bodies, central government and wider society by ensuring that the proven, great value interventions are delivered in the holistic, young person friendly setting that young people are known to access best so securing the best outcomes for all.
We want policy makers to:
• Understand the evidence base for YIAC effectiveness, outcomes and value
• Understand that YIACS deliver ‘more bang for your buck’ by delivering those outcomes to those with the greatest need, who would in the medium to long term cost the public purse most
• Make informed funding decisions on YIAC services – to sustain and develop, not make ‘easy’ cuts
Read our policy digests for the latest developments in our sector
What have we done?
In phase 1 we demonstrated in our research briefing, ‘Under Strain’, that the recession had caused a significant increase in demand from young people for advice, counselling and support and that they are also presenting with more complex problems. We also showed that young people’s information, advice, counselling and support services (YIACS) were in many cases ‘under strain’, having to meet these increased needs with diminishing resources and real fear about the future. Phase 1 gained us significant media coverage and interest from policy influencers.
• Read the News Story
• Download our ‘Under Strain’ briefing
Moving into ‘Easing the Strain’ we have moved to show that there is a more substantial body of evidence to demonstrate the effectiveness of the YIACS model and the interventions our members deliver than for any other mode of delivery.
In July we wrote to the Marion Davis, the President of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS), setting out that evidence base, to ensure that local DCS’s are in possession of the facts when making funding decisions.
Marion Davis assured us that ADCS is committed to evidence based policy, described our letter as ‘useful’ and the contents have been circulated to every DCS in the country.We have also passed the key evidence information on to Ministers and key MP’s such as Education Select Committee members and will be meeting and briefing over the months ahead.
We have also worked to support Stourbridge’s The What? Centre in their local campaign against funding cuts.
• Read the letter to the ADCS President
• Read the Evidence Appendix
• Read our News Story
In December we launched our long awaited comprehensive survey of the evidence of YIACS effectiveness - A proven early intervention model – the evidence for Youth Information Advice Counselling and Support services (YIACS) – and Easing the Strain – a summary version for campaigning activities.
Download Easing the Strain
Download A proven Early Intervention Model
Read our website news story
Read the coverage from Children & Young People Now
We have now undertaken a mammoth dissemination programme to get the evidence to the people who matter – ministers, key MP’s, influential figures in the youth, health and advice sectors – and will seek to meet, brief, discuss and build alliances over the coming months.
However, some of the most important audiences for our messages are LOCAL ones. Now more than ever we need your help to get our messages across locally.
What can you do to help?
Call to Action:
We need your help to get the messages out to key local audiences, such as local cabinet portfolio holders, other interested elected councillors, DCS’s, heads of young person’s services, local MP’s and your local media.
If you have just 2 minutes, do this …
- Forward a copy of the launch email to your key local audiences
If you have another 15 minutes, also do this …
- Download Easing the Strain and forward with personalised email to your key local audiences
- Print hard copies
- Send them with a personalised covering letter to your key local audiences asking them to contact you and/or us at Youth Access to discuss further
If you want to use this evidence for more impact …
- Feel free to use extracts to support funding applications, commission tenders or local campaigns
- Use the blank 6th page of Easing the Strain to add additional details of your own services
- Invite key local audiences to meet you and visit your services
- Forward the briefing to your local media along with details of your own services
- Keep in touch with us at Youth Access so that we can support you further
Remember, this campaign is aimed at making you stronger and we’re here to help.
Mail Steve Lee or call on 020 8772 9900 to keep us informed of the action you take and see how we can help you further.