All About Us

Young Suffolk (formerly Suffolk Council for Voluntary Youth Services – SCVYS) is the only countywide infrastructure organisation for the voluntary children and young people’s sector. Young Suffolk, under the old name of SCVYS, was established in 1974 to promote and meet the needs and aspirations of young people under the age of 25 by strengthening and supporting the work of its member organisations that directly deliver services to young people.

Young Suffolk is ever evolving and adapting to move with the needs of its members and, most importantly, young people. Essentially, Young Suffolk is a network of the major voluntary organisations working in Suffolk with young people, ensuring that the principles guiding it help empower young people to achieve the 5 outcomes highlighted in Every Child Matters:  

1. Being healthy

2. Staying safe

3. Enjoying and achieving

4. Making a positive contribution

5. Achieving economic well-being

Young Suffolk is heartened that the government’s strategic plan, Youth Matters: Next Steps, is supporting what Young Suffolk and its members have been working towards for years: improving young people’s life chances and making certain that young people have ‘something to do, somewhere to go and someone to talk to'. 

‘Young Suffolk is a pioneer for the voluntary children and young people’s sector, and, is delighted that the diverse and skilled voluntary sector it represents, is now widely recognised and considered a vital partner in the design, delivery and development of Youth Matters in Suffolk’.

Rosalind Turner, Director for Children and Young People, Suffolk County Council

What We Do

Young Suffolk exists for its members and provides:

• Guidance
• Information
• Practical help
• Access to funding
• Training opportunities
• Standards of good practice – Quality Standards
• Management of volunteering opportunities for young people in Suffolk, currently through Millennium Volunteers
• Sharing of resources
• Partnership working
• Networking and consultation opportunities

Young Suffolk acts as a forum on behalf of its member’s and, perhaps most importantly, supports the development of new and innovative work with young people. The Young Suffolk Volunteer Partnership was formed precisely for this and acts as a forum for the planning and development of young people’s volunteering. Its membership includes: Millennium Volunteers Suffolk, Suffolk Volunteering Federation, Out and About, Suffolk Sport, SCA, CSV Media, BTCV, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Princes Trust, Barnardo’s, Young Suffolk, Suffolk County Council Connexions & Youth Services, Suffolk Education Business Partnership.

Please click here to see the Terms of Reference for the Group or contact us to find out more.

Our Mission

Young Suffolk aims to meet the needs and aspirations of children, young people and their families by strengthening and supporting the work of its member organisations. Our mission is to widen their horizons, increase their opportunities and add value to the educational work of their own organisations.

Additionally, we are working towards becoming the peak body committed to promoting the voice of the children and young people's voluntary sector, and to:

• advocate on behalf of young people
• support youth workers
• access, equity and diversity
• ongoing policy development
• be a major contributor towards making Suffolk a first class region for young people and for those who work directly for and on behalf of young people
• be an influential and objective organisation; ensuring that all regional policy decisions for young people are based on robust and reliable information that is collected from consultation with members, partners and feedback from the most important input - the young people themselves.

All the points above, and perhaps ones that we haven’t even thought of yet, are to help guide our work towards creating positive change within the children and young people’s voluntary sector and are responding directly to the Government’s Green Paper on Youth; Youth Matters - Youth Matters aims to radically re-shape services for young people.

 

Our Vision

Young Suffolk will work as an enabler, facilitator and advocate on behalf of its membership. It is committed to developing the role of the voluntary children and young people's sector to deliver appropriate and effective services for children and young people on behalf of and in co-operation with statutory and local authority agencies who work with or on behalf of children and young people in Suffolk.

And to be the main point of access in the children and young people’s voluntary sector to a collaborative coordinated resource for organisations working with young people.

To find out more about our 'vision for the future' please click here for a powerpoint presentation by our Chief Executive - Dr Bud Simpkin

More About Us

Young Suffolk is a charity with an approved constitution, which includes an AGM where officers are elected.

• Representatives from member organisations come together for Council Meetings (including the AGM) three times a year. In addition an Executive Committee meets regularly to plan and manage Young Suffolk affairs.
• Member organisations pay a small annual subscription towards the running expenses of Young Suffolk and in return members receive a regular newsletter ‘NETWORK’ access to the latest funding information, training opportunities and the chance to contribute to the independent voice of the voluntary children and young people’s sector.
• Young Suffolk manages the Millennium Volunteers  contract in the county.
• We are uniquely placed to forge partnerships and build on existing links across the voluntary and statutory sectors. This is by no means exhaustive as we are constantly getting involved in new initiatives.
• Young Suffolk engages strategically with a range of statutory and voluntary organisations at district, county, regional and national level.
• Young Suffolk members reflect the rich mix of the voluntary youth sector of the county. Membership includes faith organisations, black and minority ethnic organisations, care and disability, environmental, uniformed groups, residential, drama, music and sports bodies.
• One of our roles is to respond to new developments within our remit and to support the infrastructure to be fit for purpose. In short, we try and make sense and put into laymen’s terms government and council initiatives regarding young people and ensure that Young Suffolk is right on up there as the independent voice of the voluntary children and young people’s sector.

To find out more about the Young Suffolk Team please click here.