As an infrastructure charity, we enable strategic collaboration among organisations to set direction and make decisions, focusing on areas where there are gaps in provision or a need for more a more joined-up approach. An example of this is our work with the Somerset Youth Work Alliance.

The Somerset Youth Work Alliance is a collaboration of youth work organisations in the VCFSE sector based in Somerset. Our vision is to work collectively, ensuring a high-quality, co-produced, and inclusive youth offer in Somerset. We prioritise listening to the voices of young people and aim to be responsive to emerging needs whilst remaining accessible to all. 

Our key successes to date include securing pathways for youth work training to enhance the development and quality of our provision, and in 2023 we secured funding from the National Community Lottery Fund, enabling us continue our work until 2026.

• Ensuring consistently high-quality youth service provision across the county, developed, and co-produced with those who use it. 
• Identifying and collaboratively filling gaps in service provision for young people, prioritising local needs, accessibility, and inclusivity. 
• Building trusting and creative relationships between organisations, respecting diversity, recognising strengths, and exploring joint funding opportunities. 
• Sharing ideas, learning, knowledge, and resources to achieve optimal outcomes for young people in the county. 
• Utilising our combined voice to highlight the impact of youth work and influence the strategic landscape for youth services. 
• Exploring a peer review approach to quality assurance as work progresses. 
• Identifying gaps in training and development in Somerset, working with educational bodies to arrange programs for new youth workers and providing continuing professional development opportunities. 
• Promoting training and career paths in youth work to attract new professionals.

We are linked with local and national organisations including the National Youth Agency and all of our members meet national standards in youth work practice and safeguarding, with support from our team and other members. We are proud to be a Young Peoples’ Foundation, working collaboratively locally, regionally and nationally to develop youth work.  

We have three levels of membership, all of which are free to join and access support.  

• Our Alliance is governed by our Steering Committee members who give their time and expertise
• Our core members bring years of youth work experience, providing a robust foundation for collaborative efforts and support for Network members  
• Our Network members are smaller or less established organisations who benefit from ongoing support and preferential access to our training pathway to Level 3 Youth Work qualifications

We have a Steering Committee and core members who bring years of youth work experience, forming a robust foundation for our collaborative efforts. Our current membership includes: Minehead Eye, YMCA Brunel Group, Youth Unlimited, Young Somerset, Reach, The Space, Community Youth Project (CYP), In The Mix Project, Active Learning and Skills (ALS), YMCA Taunton, Youth Connect South West, 2BU Somerset, Mind in Somerset, The Onion Project, Somerset Activity & Sports Project (SASP), Youth Adventure Trust, West Monkton Parish Council, and Spark Somerset.