The Local Authority Youth Service in Wales 2008-09

Key points include:

• There were 922 full time equivalent (FTE) management and youth work delivery staff employed by the Youth Service at 31 March 2009. This figure was nearly exactly the same as that reported for 2008.
• The reported number of FTE youth work delivery staff employed by the Youth Service at 31 March 2009 was 780.
• 124,342 young people were members of the Youth Service in Wales in 2008-09, representing 21% of 11 to 25 year olds.
• 12,083 young people were reported as having gained an accreditation during the year.
• In 2008-09 local authorities reported 1,616 projects running across Wales. this represents a 9% increase on the 1,480 projects running in Wales during 2007-08. 532 of these projects were classified as youth clubs, 159 as alternative curriculum projects and 102 as physical or outdoors or sports.
• In 2008-09, nearly 1.7 million contacts were made by the youth service with young people during the year. Of these, just less than 870,000 contacts were made through youth clubs. Over 540,000 hours were delivered across all projects in Wales during the year.
• The total income for the Youth Service increased by 12% between 2007-8 and 2008-9, from £39.9 million to £44.1 million.
• The total expenditure in 2008-09 was £44.1 million, an increase of 11% from £39.8 million in 2007-08.
• The core Youth Service budget spend per head of population aged 11-25 showed an increase of 10% from £38.45 in 2007-08 to £42.39 in 2008-09.
• The total spend by the Youth Service per head of population aged 11-25 years also increased by 10% during this period to £73.88.