Equality Impact Analysis Template

Title of Project/Service/Policy	Grant Funded Capital Project for Hollington Youth Hub
Team/Department	Early Help and Social Care
Directorate	Children’s Services
Provide a comprehensive description of your Project (Service/Policy, etc.) including its Purpose and Scope	This equality impact assessment relates to the proposals to utilise the provisionally awarded external funding for East Sussex County Council to redevelop Hollington Youth Centre into a Youth Hub. New after school/weekend sessions will be delivered in the reconfigured/new buildings. East Sussex County Council’s (ESCC) proposal consists of the capital build projects as set out below. Hollington Youth Centre The proposal is to extend, reconfigure and renew this existing youth centre into a Youth Hub to increase the number of regular positive activities and clubs available to young people aged 11 to 19 (up to 25 for young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) in this deprived coastal area. We are currently delivering targeted and some open access youth provision from this established youth centre site. Summary The planned capital improvements will allow the development of new open access universal youth services that are in line with the Family Hub / Youth Hub strategic development. This new youth service approach will be delivered by ESCC Youth Service and partner youth organisations. To support the needs of young people we will also be providing a range of preventative services to respond to the needs young people told us about when we consulted with them. The current underused facilities will be repurposed into a Youth Hub operating seven days a week. The new fully accessible youth facility will have structured opening times offering a range of positive activities and support services available for young people during the day, afterschool, in the evenings, at weekends and during school holiday times. The high-quality universal youth offer provided at the Youth Hub will be delivered by trained youth workers, specialist staff and trained volunteers. The youth services delivered there will build on and improve current provision which we know improves outcomes for the young people as evidenced in service performance data and user feedback. Our Youth Hub will: · enable young people to learn life skills and social skills in a fun and safe environment · increase engagement in physical activity · improve their emotional health and wellbeing · increase their confidence, resilience and coping strategies · raise aspirations and increase their educational engagement, training and employment opportunities · improve their understanding and awareness of healthy relationships and risk linked behaviours · Improve their understanding and awareness of being part of the community

 Update on previous EqIAs and outcomes of previous actions (if applicable)

What actions did you plan last time? (List them from the previous EqIA)	What improved as a result? What outcomes have these actions achieved?	What further actions do you need to take? (add these to the Action Plan below)
Not applicable	Not applicable	Clarification that all provision from both centres has been relocated to temporary locations.

1. Review of information, equality analysis and potential actions

Consider the actual or potential impact of your project (service, or policy) against each of the equality characteristics.

Protected characteristics groups under the Equality Act 2010	What do you know? Summary of data about your service-users and/or staff	What do people tell you? Summary of service-user and/or staff feedback	What does this mean? Impacts identified from data and feedback (actual and potential)	What can you do? All potential actions to: · advance equality of opportunity, · eliminate discrimination, and · foster good relations
Age	In East Sussex, our children and young people have lower rates of attendance and higher exclusions than their peers nationally. We know that the programmes delivered in the Youth Hubs will build resilience, raise aspirations and improve emotional wellbeing; access to positive activities and additional support available from professionals will help increase engagement in education, and consequently improve attendance and attainment. Working with colleagues in the Business Service Property team five youth centre sites were considered initially. Complex issues were highlighted around ownership and lease agreement for two of those sites. In another area we were aware that a significant bid by voluntary sector partners was being developed for the Youth Investment Fund so it was agreed that we would focus on other areas in East Sussex to distribute the potential Youth Offer in different geographies. The two remaining sites are in areas of high need, one in a rural area where services are diminishing (closure of Sports Centre recently) and difficult to access; and the other is in a coastal region containing wards of high deprivation.	Young people and staff who we consulted said that the current youth centres are old, unwelcoming and not fit for purpose. They said that the current layout hampers service delivery and limits numbers that can attend. Of all the young people we asked, 83% thought it would be a good idea if the Youth Hubs were open more often. 83% of young people told us that having outdoor areas where it's safe to hang out would be one of the best uses of space at the Youth Hubs. 65% of the young people who responded to the survey want to be actively involved in decorating and styling the youth hubs 46% of young people told us that they want to come to play games, 32% want to do sports and 19% are keen to come and dance, our hope is that we can offer all of this, and more. 67% of young people thought that having outside sports organisations running sessions was important. Our consultation told us that 79% of young people want to come to Youth Hubs to hang out with their friends and 60% want to come to make new friends.		To support the needs of young people we will also be providing a range of preventative services to respond to the needs young people told us about when we consulted with them. The current underused facility will be repurposed into a Youth Hub operating seven days a week. The new fully accessible youth facility will have structured opening times offering a range of positive activities and support services available for young people during the day, afterschool, in the evenings, at weekends and during school holiday times. The facility will be redesigned to create distinct, fully accessible zones, each will have outdoor spaces with seating, picnic areas and growing spaces. Young people will be supported by the architects to finalise the details of the new buildings. The new multi-use facilities will allow a range of different providers to deliver specific activities in different spaces along-side the core Youth Work programme. This multi-use approach will maximise use of space, ensure a broad range of activities are available to children and young people and foster a partnership approach to delivering a local Youth Offer. For example, a young person’s youth dance academy could operate in the Health and Fitness Zone at the same time as a session for disabled young people in the Activities Zone. New after school drop-in sessions in reconfigured café/lounge areas will create a safe space for young people to meet friends and make new ones.
Disability		We know through talking to young people that emotional wellbeing is an issue that they want support with. 82% of young people told us that it was important for them to have someone to talk to about how they're feeling when they are struggling with their mental health and/or emotional wellbeing. 47% of young people told us the reason that they would want to come to the Youth Hubs would be to get help, guidance and information about things. Our consultation highlighted that 63% of the young people told us they thought being able to access other disability services, like Amaze was important. Young people told us they also wanted some quiet spaces in the consultation we completed.		All zones will have their own fully accessible toilet facilities. The new Youth Hub will deliver of a range of positive activities and health and wellbeing lifestyle programmes focusing on building resilience, raising aspirations, supporting positive emotional well-being, and diverting young people away from risk taking behaviour. Our youth work programmes are underpinned by the NHS promoted ‘5 Ways to Wellbeing’ and each aim is embedded in our Youth Hub approach; connect, be active, take notice, keep learning and give. In parallel to the activity programmes we will be offering a range of support services through drop-in sessions available alongside our positive activities’ programmes provided by our existing keyworkers including sexual health guidance, reducing harm from substance use, smoking/ vaping cessation, emotional well-being support and healthy lifestyles. Our experience tells us that young people will talk about what is on their mind to trusted adults in a social setting and often when they are doing activities. Our Support Model in the Hubs will involve having trained and experience Family Keyworkers present in our Hubs during opening times (operated as a Duty Service) who will be available to have one to one conversations with any young person who asks for support or who is sign posted by a Youth Worker. Sign posting could be a direct introduction of a young person to a Keyworker – we know that this direct contact is important so young people get the support they need. Our Keyworkers have clear referral pathways to a wide range of specialist services and can work with young people to create personal action plans to assist them to make changes in their lives that are ready to address. This additional support will be further extended through a wide range of partners delivering their own services from the new Youth Hubs. This partner led provision will include mental health support from i-rock (an award-winning mental health drop-in service for young people), employment and training support delivered by a range of local partners (eg CXK Careers Service). Working with disabled young people continues to be a priority for us. We have successfully run Funky Teens Activity Clubs across the county for disabled young people and have recently developed working partnership with AMAZE a local charity commissioned by ESCC Disability Services. AMAZE will aim to extend their provision into our Youth Hubs and will support disabled young people to be part of the Youth Advisory Groups. There will be a Quiet Area/Sensory Room in the two new Youth Hubs buildings. Quieter spaces and quieter sessions will be available for young people who prefer calmer less noisy spaces to take part in activities like art, craft and cooking supported by trained youth workers –
Gender reassignment	Approximately 1% of the population is trans or gender diverse	The LGBTQ+ needs assessment carried out recently, led by Public Health, identified that LGBTQ+ young people disproportionately experience difficulties with their emotional wellbeing and mental health.		The Youth Hub will be welcoming of people of all genders. The Youth Hubs will support an inclusive and safe environment, promoting good relations and positive connections between young people of all genders.
Pregnancy and maternity		66% of young people told us that they want access to Sexual Health Services (including contraception, pregnancy test, options support and STI testing)		The preventative activities provided by the new Youth Hubs will include support and guidance on prevention of teenage pregnancies and support for young parents. Trained youth workers and keyworkers will be on hand to offer information, support, and guidance on a range of support needs, health and wellbeing, mental health and sexual health and relationships.
Race (ethnicity) Including migrants, refugees and asylum seekers	We know from engagement with young people supported by race equality groups locally in East Sussex that young people from global majorities and minority ethnic people have experienced racism in their school and community context.			As a Youth Service we are actively reaching out to minority ethnic local young people who have been underrepresented in our centres; we have also taken positive steps to extending our recruitment, so our staff teams are more representative of our local communities. Getting young people from minority ethnic groups engaged in the Youth Advisory Groups will be a key target for us.
Religion or belief	Not relevant	Not relevant	Not relevant	Not relevant
Sex	We know that young women’s involvement in sport and fitness declines significantly in their teenage years and that young women identify the need for more safe spaces in the community for them to exercise and to meet (Make Space for Girls Report Jan 2023). We know from our work creating a safe space for girls and young women is crucial and providing good access to support services is crucial.			New sports activity sessions will be offered for different age ranges and gender so that staff can provide additional support for specific challenges, reducing barriers to young people allowing them to get involved in new activities and getting active.
Sexual orientation	LGBTQ+ needs assessment shows that between 3.1% and 7% of people are LGB+	50% of LGBTQ young people reported they had experienced homophobic or biphobic bullying		The preventative services provided by the newly developed Youth Hub will include spaces and activities for the LGBTQ young people’s youth groups.
Marriage and civil partnership	Not relevant	Not relevant	Not relevant	Not relevant
Armed Forces				Children and young people of members and former members of the Armed Forces will be specifically targeted, if known, to encourage them to participate in the Youth Hubs.
Impacts on community cohesion	We know that youth-focussed buildings have the potential for making a positive impact on community cohesion, particularly when they are focussed on providing safe and engaging activities for young people.			New after school drop-in sessions in reconfigured café/lounge areas in the new buildings will create a safe space for young people to meet friends and make new ones. While the building work is being undertaken, Hollington Youth Centre provision will relocate to local community spaces in the Hollington area. These are a short walk from the existing buildings and provision will operate at the same times on the same days as now – no interruption in service. You people and parents have been made aware of the proposed closure. The provisional closure is 1 March 2025 - TBC.

Additional categories

(identified locally as potentially causing / worsening inequality)

Characteristic	What do you know?	What do people tell you?	What does this mean?	What can you do?
Rurality	Not relevant	Not relevant	Not relevant	Not relevant
Carers	Not relevant	Not relevant	Not relevant	Not relevant
Other groups that may be differently affected (including but not only: homeless people, substance users, care leavers – see end note)	Young people and the impact of the pandemic: Our detailed planning processes across the department for future service delivery have taken into consideration the impact of the pandemic. Whilst the entire long-term impact remains unclear, we do know that the following factors have increased short and medium-term pressure on and the need for services: · the post pandemic high demand for early help and social care support · the impact on children and young people of long periods out of school · the widely recognised impact of the pandemic on children and young people’s mental health			The Youth Hub will offer information, advice and guidance to support school attendance. The Youth Hub will provide be used to engage with young people to and prevent and address substance misuse by young people.

Assessment of overall impacts and any further recommendations - include assessment of cumulative impacts (where a change in one service/policy/project may have an impact on another)

The proposal will have a positive impact on young people in areas of coastal deprivation. This proposal to accept the funding for the development of youth centres in Youth Hub, which is aimed at having a positive impact on young people in the locality.

Local young people will be the main beneficiaries along with the wider local community and delivery partner organisations from the voluntary, community, and social enterprise sector.

The Youth Hub site is in an area of high need and in a coastal region containing wards of high deprivation.

As a local authority we are committed to the key role we have in the development of strong partnerships and bringing together organisations who have a stake in improving outcomes of children and young people.  There is an ever-growing recognition that local authorities need to be enabling the delivery of preventative services.

Locally, prevention is a priority in the Sussex NHS Integrated Care System Strategy, and it is referenced throughout the recent Independent Review of Children’s Social Care. The creation of the Youth Hub will further strengthen our work with partner agencies (statutory, voluntary and businesses) and increase the provision of positive activities for young people aged 11 to 18 (up to 25 for young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities), thus increasing the provision of early help and prevention work.

Our Youth Hub model has key elements in place to ensure they are successful:

· Fully accessible, environmentally sustainable state of the art facilities

· Youth services providing universal and targeted support

· Support service available alongside a range of engaging positive activities

· Specialist trained staff and dedicated trained volunteers

· Embedded youth voice and participation mechanisms

· Close partnership working to facilitate early intervention

We are confident that the additional open access youth provision and the significant increase in the number of young people attending our Youth Hub will build resilience of young people and reduce the demand for some of our targeted services because of improved outcomes for the young people attending the Youth Hub sessions.

The new and improved facilities will be more resource efficient, providing reductions in the running costs for the buildings and will support the economic development of third sector provider partners who will be delivering more activities from them.

The proposals will also assist with lowering the carbon emissions of the sites. The current youth centre is old with no sustainable technologies supporting their longer-term energy independence. It has a rating of C (as DEC’s) and therefore present opportunities for beneficial improvements in the way energy is created and consumed. Both properties are powered by gas fired boilers and do not have PV panels to generate electricity. If delivered these capital projects will allow us to maximise building efficiency and enable us to contribute to the Council’s Climate Change agenda through improved environmental sustainability and assist the County Council to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Evidence of the impact/outcomes for young people will be collected by youth workers via a range of existing (QR code linked evaluations) and new mechanisms co-designed by young people who use the facilities and other stakeholders. We will build on our current use of pre and post questionnaires, consultations, participatory interviewing techniques and focused sessions to ensure we know what works to improve outcomes for young people and to inform future service design. The area youth workers have recently attended training with the Tavistock Human Relations team, who facilitated a workshop to design, create and execute evaluations with young people and provide qualitative data for ongoing service improvements.

While building works are being undertaken, Hollington Youth Centre provision will relocate to local community facilities in the Hollington area.

Provision will operate at the same times on the same days as now – there will be no interruption in service. Young people and their parents and carers have already been made aware of the proposed closure and we will communicate directly to parents / carers and young people once we have clarity on dates and venues.

2. List detailed data and/or community feedback that informed your EqIA

Source and type of data (e.g. research, or direct engagement (interviews), responses to questionnaires, etc.)	Date	Gaps in data	Actions to fill these gaps: who else do you need to engage with? (add these to the Action Plan below, with a timeframe)
In person group consultations held with existing users of Hollington Youth Centre to discuss ideas and suggestions for changes to the existing space. These sessions were run in the evenings, at the youth centre.	July 2024	Planned ongoing opportunities for young people to be involved  in local decision making, particularly linked to East Sussex County Council’s Youth Offer.	Establishing Youth Advisory Group in each of the Youth Hubs across the county to increase participation of different groups in each community.
Direct engagement with the local community, user groups, children and young people.	Sept 2024	No Gaps
Online Consultation: Family Hubs and Youth Hubs in East Sussex: Community Consultation. Questionnaire collecting information about the importance of different spaces/services/groups/operating times within the youth centres. Shared via partnership mechanisms including, Youth Infrastructure Forum, Holiday Activity and Food providers, Hastings Youth Partnership, Eastbourne Youth Partnership, Rother Voluntary Action, Hastings Voluntary Action, 3VA: Voluntary Action in Wealden, Eastbourne and Lewes, Family Focus newsletter, Public Health network, VCSE Alliance and the CYPT stakeholders. 626 responses – from young people/parents/carers and professionals.	14^th February 2023 – 11^th April 2023.	No Gaps
School Consultation: Family Hubs and Youth Hubs in East Sussex: Community Consultation. Questionnaire collecting information about the importance of different spaces/services/groups/operating times within the youth centres Area Youth Workers liaised with the local schools to include existing and potential users of the Youth Hubs.	14^th February 2023 – 11^th April 2023.	No Gaps
Place Based Consultation: Family Hubs and Youth Hubs in East Sussex: Community Consultation. Questionnaire collecting information about the importance of different spaces/services/groups/operating times within the youth centres Area Youth Workers facilitated young people answering consultation questions, during existing youth centre sessions, mobile youth work sessions and detached outreach sessions.	14^th February 2023 – 11^th April 2023.	No Gaps
Focus Groups with Architects and Project Managers Young people were invited to meet with architects and project managers at Hollington Youth Centre to view initial designs and share their feedback.	July 2024	No Gaps

4.     Prioritised Action Plan

Impact identified and group(s) affected	Action planned	Expected outcome	Measure of success	Timeframe
The proposal impacts on a number of equality protected characteristics, as identified in the sections above.	The impacts on protected characteristics have been identified in the grant application and these will be monitored through the governance mechanisms for the new builds.	Improvements in young people’s wellbeing, sense of belonging and positive community cohesion in the local area.	The key measures of success regarding impact on different equality protected characteristics will be: increased participation of different groups and positive feedback about engagement with the activities offered at the new Hubs. These have been included in the ongoing monitoring and review processes and governance mechanisms of the building of the new Youth Hub.	It is proposed to complete the builds by December 2025.