The youth work sector in Blackburn with Darwen was facing an uncertain future. There was a significant reduction in grants and trust funding opportunities available. The result of this was increased workloads, a culture of competitiveness and less opportunity for young people.

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With support from the Local Authority, local youth work organisations came together in 2018 to develop an informal collective call the Strategic Youth Alliance, agreeing to a MOU to create a joined up approach on how to overcome these challenges and best support the children and young people of Blackburn with Darwen.

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The Strategic Youth Alliance worked really well, so much so, this has now been formalised with the setting ups of its own Young People's Foundation (Young BwD Foundation) with the help and support of the 11 founding members who offer a network of highly skilled and experienced youth work organisations with one common goal; To transform the lives of young people across Blackburn with Darwen and to create a strong, sustainable future for youth work services.

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We will do this by collaboration, working together and acting as a forum for our members to exchange information and to identify gaps in services. This enables us to coordinate and deliver a borough wide youth service that truly represents the needs of children, young people and families in Blackburn with Darwen.

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Our 11 member organisations have worked together with the Young People Foundation Trust to develop the Strategic Youth Alliance into a charitable incorporated organisation that's now equipped and prepared to build a sustainable future for youth work services.

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The Young BwD Foundation has three broad clear objectives in the coming years for its members:

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• Sustain youth work by equipping the next generation of youth workers with the skills and knowledge they need to support children and young people.

• Attract outside investment for youth work services within Blackburn with Darwen.

• Develop standards to enable the delivery of exceptional services for children and young people, delivered through by members.