FOR THE FIRST time ever organisations that deal with young people will be assessed externally, following new standards for youth groups being launched on Tuesday.

The national Quality Standards Framework (QSF) for the youth work sector identifies and outlines five principles for youth work. The principles are designed to be adopted by youth workers in order to ensure that staff can provide young people with a safe space to develop and interact with others.

The five core principles are:

• Provide a support and development tool to organisations and projects
• Establish standards in the practice and provision of youth work
• Provide an enhanced evidence base for youth work
• Ensure resources are used effectively in the youth work sector
• Provide a basis for whole-organisational assessment

If youth groups do not comply with the principles identified, they would face their funding being withdrawn.

A fundamental part of the QSF is self-assessment but this is supplemented by external assessment, planning and progress reporting.

The new framework applies to all staff-led youth work organisations, services, projects and programmes funded under the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (OMCYA) schemes.