Blueskin Youth Centre Administration: CONSULTATION

Submission to the Blueskin Youth Centre Administration

I submitted the submission below to the BYCA committee for their meeting on the 25th May, 2009 after attending the earlier BYCA AGM and listening to the concerns the old committee members had about lack of community involvement and of their desire to consult and operate in an open and transparent way, working with other community groups.

I consulted with members of the WEP and weggies and my children, their friends, and members of the Youth Group, as well as listening to the desires expressed by the old and newly elected members of the BYCA (at the AGM)

"For: BYCA committee meeting, Monday, 25th May, 2009, 7.30pm Waitati Hall.

Executive Summary
• This submission supports the BYCA committee’s efforts to develop a comprehensive and consensual vision for Blueskin Youth and community, with clear and achievable objectives and suggests a timeline and relationships be established to enable completion of all tasks.
• This submission applauds initiatives that reduce the CO2 emissions of our whole community and wish to strongly endorse BYCA efforts in this respect.
• This submission requests that the BYCA fund be used as a lever and fund pool, never to be exhausted, to raise further funds to achieve BYCA objectives, and request mechanisms be put in place to ensure the security of this fund.
• This submission suggests the BYCA keep in mind the original endowment and the needs of youth and the community in terms of infrastructure, and centre the vision on a multipurpose youth building/indoor space.
• This submission asks the BYCA to consult with other community groups regarding other resources, such as the development of a contestable fund and establishing the position of a youth worker, in addition to building consensus on the vision.

About the Waitati Energy Project
The Waitati Energy Project is a community led initiative facing up to the predicaments of climate change, peak oil and the current global recession. We’re working towards developing a sustainable and energy resilient community and future for our children, grandchildren and future generations.

The Blueskin Resilient Communities Trust provides a legal umbrella and governance for the Waitati Energy Project.

Our membership as measured through subscription to our email lists, and through the WEP and in the other BRCT initiatives we count over 300 households, most within the immediate Blueskin Bay area (Waitati for example has 200 households).

We work in close partnership with the Otago Energy Research Centre, the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority, and PowerHouse Wind. We’re working with the DCC and the ORC as well. In addition, we support groups like Solar Action, Get-The-Train and Sustainable Dunedin City.

Introduction
Our recommendations are intended to support the Blueskin Youth Centre Administration Committee in its efforts towards developing a clear vision for Blueskin youth and facilitate the establishment of achievable objectives in the short, medium and long-term.

We want to ensure that the twin goals of reducing CO2 emissions (particularly through reducing travel in private motor vehicles, or the need for regular youth journeys into Dunedin city) and building healthy sustainable and wealthy communities are achieved through making positive choices with multiple benefits to youth and Blueskin communities.

We want to ensure that the opportunity the current ~ $100 000 BYCA fund allows is not squandered on any ill-conceived project but is enhanced by clear strategic thinking and action in an open and accountable way. In essence, we believe that this fund should form a lever to gain access to other funding pots, providing a renewable funding resource into the future for Blueskin Youth and Community.

The predicament

1. Blueskin Bay is blessed with many natural amenities and rich social life. However while there are some facilities and institutions for youth (playcentres, schools, youth group, surf club in Warrington, sports like Taekwando, Soccer and Rugby), there is a distinct lack of non-formalised opportunity particularly for pre-teens, teenagers and young adults. This broad age-group is developing in independence; learning skills independent of their parents and in conjunction with their peer group.
2. Lack of infrastructure for youth enhances the desire to ‘go to town’.
3. Lack of resources for youth denies their initiative.
4. Lack of a clear vision confuses opportunity and challenges.

Submission
Youth Resources for Blueskin Youth
A. We do not have one single group of youth in Blueskin Bay. We have creative, sporty, literary, practical, and adventurous youth, all of whom desire different things. The establishment of a contestable fund (or funds) – funded from the interest payments on a ‘core’ BYCA fund and through funding ‘top-up’ from external funders – would give youth an opportunity to develop skills in planning, organizing and delivering youth centred projects for their peers. A selection committee, made up of members of the BYCA committee and seconded members of the community would select project(s) each year and assist (mentor) youth in fine-tuning their projects. The fund(s) could be set at $1000.
B. It is possible that the voluntary effort required to ensure successful completion of the above objective and other objectives may be unrealistic. Additionally, the current Youth Group in Waitati could benefit from more formalized assistance in such a way as to allow further funding applications [Steve Bennett, Lottery Committee Co-ordinator at Internal Affairs will come to speak to the BYCA and Youth Group as required. There is a fund that can provide up to $24000 per annum salary he is willing to facilitate for interested parties]. There may be value in designating a role for a ‘Youth Worker’, with part salary supplied by the BYCA and part salary raised by the worker him/herself in conjunction with the BYCA/Youth Group or Blueskin Resilient Communities Trust. Such a worker would develop activities in conjunction with youth and the community and would help develop a longer-term strategy in conjunction with other community partners.

Recommendation 1
That the BYCA considers establishing a contestable fund for youth projects, and sets the parameters for a selection committee to oversee and mentor such applications and projects. Also, that the BYCA consult with Youth Group, and Waitati and Warrington Schools, and the Blueskin Resilient Communities Trust on the issue of establishing a position for a Youth Worker.

Infrastructure for Blueskin Youth
i. Bland Park provides a reasonably central location for infrastructure to meet the needs of youth and to enhance other community initiatives and institutions that surround and support youth in indirect ways. At present, there is only the Waitati Hall in Waitati, the Warrington Hall in Warrington and the Surf Club clubrooms at Warrington, as inside space available for youth. Many youth activities are ill-suited to these facilities. However both Waitati School and Warrington school are currently in the process of extending their hard-court facilities with the express intention that these facilities be open to the community at large.
ii. Youth are also an integral part of our community and communities, and ideally the infrastructure with youth in mind would complement and integrate other community activities and initiatives. The most pressing infrastructural project for youth and community at Bland Park is likely to be a Youth Centre – a multipurpose roofed and walled structure – that could be used annually during the A&P showday and would serve as a focal point for other infrastructural projects such as climbing wall, community orchard, outside workspace, and perhaps re-located early childhood play area. Within such a structure would be a games area, construction/workshop space and a ‘relax’ zone.
iii. Whatever the infrastructural preference adopted, it should form part of the larger vision, including such things as cyleways-walkways, and not be an end in itself, and it should not substantially deplete the BYCA finances, rather it should be met through co-funding performed by the BYCA and/or other community groups.
iv. Consultation on the vision in terms of infrastructural work should involve the A&P Society, the Waitati Edible Gardeners (weggies), the Youth Group, Waitati and Warrington School Boards and PTAs, the East Otago Walking-Cycling Network, the Waitati Energy Project and the Blueskin Resilient Communities Trust, and perhaps other community partners.

Recommendation 2
That the BYCA confirms Bland Park as suitable site for infrastructural projects and develops a comprehensive vision, in association with community partners centred on the idea of a building designed primarily for youth and secondly for community, tying it to current and future activities planned for the site or anticipated."

Sorry to make such a long post, but seemed important to provide context. The above submission went to the BYCA in May. I don't know the total content of community feedback the BYCA received, and haven't seen any acknowledgement of the feedback that was received.

Hi Lorraine,
At the BYCA AGM this year there was a big discussion about community involvement/engagment and consultation and transparency of operations.
Other community projects - Waitati Energy Project, Waitati Edible Gardens, Orokonui Ecosanctuary (community and external), etc, have all received support and valuable critical feedback by publicising meetings and activities and reporting on actions, and suggestions were made and accepted by the BYCA at the AGM to work on building consensus and ensuring good youth 'fit'.
The committee at that point agreed to write monthly updates for the Blueskin News, develop a Vision (etc) and devise strategies to alow broad consulation and participation.

The BYCA web page was put on the TT Waitati page - and I am now pleased to see it being finally used - but I have been disappointed that the normal ways of communicating such as the Blueskin News, the community notice boards and the internet haven't been employed to keep people involved and able to participate - the promise at the AGM hasn't been met (and this is why the web forum is meeting a need).

I think we have a wonderful opportunity, with all that is going on, to broaden all the positive initiatives in Blueskin Bay and ensure a good fit where there is an overlap in vision, and support each other.

However - and I am wary about saying this - it has been very difficult trying to find out what is going on withn the BYCA and to know how to helpfully cooperate - and now the frustration that some members of the actual committee as well as the broad community are feeling is being expressed publically.

The big issues missing are: consultation and transparency.

Whatever happens (and remember this fund has been sitting around for many years already), it will need the support of the community to become real.

Despite the current frustration, that opportunity still exists. There's a petition against the single BYCA proposal circulating, but if the committee (current or reformed) began holding public meetings, writing updates in the Blueskin News, clearly elaborating their Vision, etc, then I am sure that the concerns that a number of people feel could easily and productively be addressed.