Agenda item

The Board, as part of their update on the evaluation framework on projects, received a presentation from Keno Ogbo and Ben Benoit (Programme Co-ordinator)   of the Peace Alliance on the progress to date on the Youth Leadership Centre. This was a partnership funded project aimed at developing the leadership skills of boys aged 8-15 to enhance their life chances. The Board noted that the project was 4 months behind schedule and this had been due to the late recruitment of a programme co-ordinator and late commencement of referral process. They explained that this had been due to an underestimation of the time required to recruit a suitable co-ordinator. They went onto explain the measures to be taken to ensure the project was back on schedule. The Board were informed that a management board had been established to monitor the project which met weekly and was attended by Jean Croot, Claire Kowolska, Sean Sweeney, Keno Ogbo and Ben Benoit.

 The Board were further advised of the planned programme of learning for the boys which included: practical life skills application, personal development programme, offsite educational visits, and optional one to one tutorial support. The curriculum was envisaged to start in November. The Board further noted the approach made to JP Morgan Stanley, Sainsbury and Barclays Bank to provide support and help underpin the work of the programme although the details and structure of this support had still to be worked out. Noted that the Leadership Centre had received 22 referrals to the programme and parents had been approached to gain further support. There were planned interviews on the 05 December for a leadership programme assistant.

The Board raised concern at the delay of 4 months to this project and noted that there was only 6 months remaining for this project to become established, proven and promoted for external funding. The work undertaken in compiling the curriculum was commended. However, there were not firm dates and a timetable for the sessions presented or information on tutors who would be delivering the programme. Therefore with lessons proposed to begin in November this was concluded to be ambitious but not felt to be achievable. The Board further expressed that the curriculum was possibly too ambitious and required further work.

The Board concluded that the project was unlikely to reach the required project milestones but recognised the work being achieved to rectify this.

RESOLVED

That the project funding is terminated in its current format. The Peace Alliance is allowed to retain the funds already advanced (£50,000).  These funds cover the wages of the Senior Development Officer and the Leadership Coordinator for the rest of this financial year and overhead expenses. 

That a new contract is drawn up which requests that the Peace Alliance spend the rest of this financial year planning for the successful delivery of a Leadership Centre in 2008/09 and securing sponsorship and funding from elsewhere to deliver this project in future years. 

That the unspent funds are redirected into projects that deliver similar outcomes with a similar cohort of young people. The Peace Alliance can put forward a proposal for some of these funds to help it achieve its commitment to young people already referred to this project.