The Future for Douzelage Member Towns

Sherborne Douzelage Youth Study Visit

16-18 October 2008

Final Report
Supported by
2
 Acknowledgements
The Sherborne Douzelage team who conceived of, prepared and managed this Study Visit, wish
to thank the President of International Douzelage, Mr Ed Weber, for his support and
encouragement; Mr Tom Corban and his team in Dorset County Council's Youth Services,
particularly Sherborne Area Youth and Community Centre (known as Tinneys) for their
partnership and enthusiasm in preparing and presenting their work; the British Council for having
confidence in our project and agreeing Youth In Action funding; the leadership at The
RendezVous Centre for their presentation and, last but by no means least, the participants who
travelled to Sherborne from all corners of Europe to join in an open, constructive and wide
ranging exchange of ideas and debate.

3
Contents:
Page No
1.0 Executive Summary 5
1.1 Next Steps and Further Information 6
2.0 Background 7
2.1 About Douzelage 7
2.2 Project Development 8
2.3 Funding Partners 8
3.0 Aims and Objectives 9
4.0 The Study Visit 10
4.1 The Delegates 11
4.2 The Programme 12
5.0 Experience and Findings 14
5.1 Youth Provision and Funding Support 15
5.2 Healthy Lifestyles 17
5.3 Retention of Young People 19
5.4 Youth Justice 21
5.5 Young Peoples' Voices 22

6.0 Best Practice - Sherborne & UK 23

7.0 Feedback 25
8.0 Conclusions and Recommendations 26
8.1 Aims and Outcomes 26
8.2 Key Challenges 27
8.3 Positive Solutions 28

4
1.0 Executive Summary The study visit
This report concludes the project 'Young Euro Citzens: The highlighted the
Future for Douzelage Member Towns', organised and hosted difference in
by Sherborne Douzelage Committee during October 2008 provision across
and supported by European Youth in Action funding, Action 4 - towns; in the
Youth Support Systems: Training and Networking. facilities, services
and guidance
The Study Visit brought together 28 delegates from 14 available to young
European countries to explore youth work policies and people, as well as the
practice in the Douzelage member towns. UK policy and local political and financial
delivery models in Sherborne were presented as the basis for support provided to
comparison. By means of presentations, workshops and local youth workers
plenary sessions, delegates explored the varying approaches to develop such
to: Youth provision and funding support, healthy lifestyles, provision.
retention of ‘Young People’, youth justice and young peoples’ The importance of building positive local partnerships across
voices in each town, in particular the ability of young people to key public, private and voluntary sector organisations was
influence the political decisions that affect them most. recognised, while investing in and empowering young people
to take control of their futures and influence those
It was widely accepted that, in the five areas explored, the organisations designed to meet their needs, ensures that the
approaches adopted in Sherborne, Dorset and the UK to delivery vehicles and outcomes are both effective and
provide for and involve young people were examples of good sustainable. The study visit sparked enthusiasm and a
practice, much of which could be replicated across Douzelage determination to work together to support the development of
towns to ensure a consistent level of provision for our young these effective, sustainable structures and activities across
people. our Douzelage towns.
The key challenges, recommendations and outcomes of the
study visit can be found in Section 8.0 Conclusions and
Recommendations.

5
1.1 Next Steps and Further Information
The aspiration is for future study visits to be held in other • Copy of attendee list (S)
Douzelage towns in order to further share learning, • Programme (S)
promote best practice and lobby for improvements in those • Presentations from Tom Corban, etc (S)
areas that contribute to the sustainable development of • Completed Town questionnaires (?)
Douzelage towns and enhance the basic level of services • Newsletters (D)
and facilities available to young people throughout Europe. • Application to British Council (S)
• Feedback table (S)

For more information about the work of International

Douzelage, to contact the committee, or find out how to
get involved, please visit the website: www.douzelage.org.

The following documents, relating to Sherborne's Youth *To browse documents on Scribd, enter the Username: Douzelage
Study Visit and referenced throughout this report, can be and Password: since1991
viewed at www.douzelage.org (D) or www.scribd.com *(S):

6
2.0 Background
2.1 About Douzelage
Douzelage is a name created by combining the French
words douze for twelve – the number of EU states when
formed – and jumelage for twinning.

The Douzelage movement was conceived in 1989 by the

Sherborne/Granville Twinning Association. Its Charter was
signed in Granville in 1991 and the movement received
pan-European recognition with the award of a Twinning
Gold Star by the European Commission in 1993.

Douzelage is a non-profit-making organisation that brings

together one small town from each European Union
member country to foster opportunity and friendship
amongst all the people of the member towns. Cultural,
educational and sporting exchanges lie at its heart, as well
As the EU expands, so new members towns are invited to
as potential for commercial and tourism initiatives.
join Douzelage. In June 2009, membership stands at 23
countries.
The main beneficiaries of Douzelage have been youth,
with cultural visits and exchanges arranged through
Asides from participation in projects, towns meet twice a
schools and clubs, covering a wide range of activities.
year at Douzelage conferences, hosted by one of the
Local cultural, sporting, business and community
member towns.
organisations also foster exchanges.

7
2.2 Project development
International Douzelage has, in recent years, been
increasing its focus on the active participation of young
people in its organisation and membership, rather than
being solely the participants and recipients of organised
activities. Douzelage recognises and values their
contribution to the organisation, the sustainability of which
depends upon it.
Having worked on behalf of young people since its
inception, International Douzelage seeks to raise
awareness of the opportunities that Europe presents as
well as encourage the involvement of young people in
local democracy, influencing the priorities and civic
processes within Partner Towns.
Koszeg was the first Douzelage town to invite young
people to attend its meeting of International Douzelage,
followed by Sherborne in 2006, where young peoples'
workshops were held in parallel to the Annual Business
Meeting of International Douzelage. At this meeting it was
resolved to implement a Youth Project involving young
people who would identify the key challenges and
problems they face in their societies. It was agreed that a
series of study visits would support this aim, exploring
innovative approaches and best practice across partner
towns and producing a report that would help wider
dissemination of learning.
Sherborne Douzelage established an organising
8
Committee to take forward the organisation of this first
event and liaised closely with Dorset County Youth
Services and local providers to develop and deliver a
varied and informative programme. The Committee were:
Janet Parsons, Michael Morrell, Michael Peart, Moira
Western and Natalie House.
The Organising Committee produced regular newsletters
outlining the project proposal and inviting Douzelage
towns to participate in the three day study visit (Copies of
these are available at www.douzelage.org).
The Committee also circulated a summary paper; outlining
the key local, regional and national youth policies that
provide the framework for youth work in the UK and invited
towns to complete a questionnaire prior to the visit,
providing details of the policies and voluntary
organisations delivering in their countries. A copy of this
summary paper can be found at www.douzelage.org.
2.3 Funding Partners
With a firm commitment from partners, the Organising
Committee made a successful bid to the British Council;
the UK funding agency for the EU Youth in Action
Programme. The study visit was made possible with a
generous grant of €14,769 under Action 4 - Youth Support
Systems: Training and Networking. Invaluable in-kind
 support (staff-time) was offered by Dorset County Council.
3.0 Aims and Objectives
The overall aim of the study visit was to bring together
young people and 'experts' from Douzelage towns to
discuss youth policies and identify best practice; following
the proposal launched at the Sherborne Douzelage
Conference in October 2006 for Douzelage to host a
series of youth-focused conference.
Further aims were:
• To organise and host a Study Visit that was within
budget while being challenging, informative and
enjoyable for all participants
• To stretch the capacity of Douzelage to produce work
that adds substantial value to the present benefits of
membership of the organisation and to demonstrate to
local authorities and the EU the growing value of the
organisation
• To give visiting delegations a broad and enjoyable
social experience
• To raise the profile of Sherborne Douzelage within the
town and in Dorset
Objectives:
9
• To draw attention to the key challenges facing young
people in the 5 theme areas
• To encourage delegates from partner towns to exchange
knowledge and information and to share models of good
practice in youth provision in their communities
• To ensure that equal opportunities are given to the youth
delegates and experts to make a contribution
• To develop conclusions, which represent ideas and
possible solutions to ensure the participation of young
people in developing policies and services in their towns
• To identify and secure agreement of two or three
delegates from partner towns to contribute towards the
production if the final report
The intention is that other Douzelage towns will host
similar study visits in the coming years; focusing on some
of the themes and issues arising from discussions prior to
and during the initial study visit. For example:
• Youth and employment,
• Affordable housing
• Transport and communication
It is hoped that UK experts and young people from
Sherborne will have an opportunity to visit other European
Towns, to compare approaches and consider ways in
which UK or local policies and activities can be adapted
and improved, based upon the good practice examples
showcased during future study visits.
4.0 The Study Visit
The study visit took place over three days between 16 and
19 October 2008. Delegates explored the issues faced by
young people and the authorities and institutions catering
for young people in Douzelage Towns. The particular
areas of youth work examined during the Study Visit were
as follows:
• Youth provision and funding support
• Healthy lifestyles
• Retention of Young People in our Towns
• Youth Justice
• Young Peoples’ Voices
10
The topics were addressed using a combination of
presentations, theme stations, plenary sessions and
information stands, held in a variety of related venues.
Delegates were provided with cultural and practical
opportunities to learn more about Sherborne and Dorset
as a location and the benefits and challenges of living in
this particular rural community.
4.1 The Delegates
Sherborne Douzelage defined the qualities required in
delegates in it's first Newsletter to potential partner towns:
'The first person should be a Youth Worker who knows
about the youth issues in their town and is aware of local
and national government policies concerning youth issues.
We intend the Study Visit to be an exchange of
experiences and ideas. As well as showing you what we
are doing here, we want to hear about your youth issues. '
'The second person should be a young person (18-25
years) with an interest in the subject. Ideally they should
have been involved with youth clubs or societies in their
town or be part of a group that has looked at the problems
of young people. We want to combine the professional
views of youth workers with the direct experience of young
people themselves.'
In total 28 delegates from 14 towns of International
Douzelage participated in the study visit. The towns
represented were:
Bad Kotzting – Germany, Bundoran – Ireland, Chojna -
Poland, Houffalize – Belgium, Koszeg – Hungary,
Meerssen – Netherlands, Niederanven – Luxembourg,
Oxelosund – Sweden, Prienai – Lithuania, Sherborne –
UK, Sigulda – Latvia, Susice - Czech Republic, Turi -
Estonia and Zvolen – Slovakia.
In each case one 'expert' and one ' young person'
attended and contributed actively to all aspects of the busy
programme. A full list of delegates is available at
www.scribd.com (see Executive Summary for access
information).
The Sherborne Douzelage Committee made arrangements
for all delegates to stay in local Bed and Breakfast
accommodation or host families and meals and visits were
included as part of the programme; providing ample time
to develop friendships, exchange experiences and best
practice in a more informal setting.

11
4.2 The Programme
A summary of the study visit's main activities is provided
here. A copy of the programme provided to delegates, as
well as a number of presentations, are included at
www.scribd.com.
Delegates arrived in Sherborne on Wednesday 15 October
in readiness for the three day study visit.
Day 1: Delegates travelled to Dorchester to visit a local
youth and community centre, managed by Dorset County
Council. Paul Carling, Chair of Douzelage's Education
Committee welcomed delegates and introduced the key
speakers for the day;
Tom Corban, Head of Youth and Community Service,
Dorset County Council, delivered an informative
presentation outlining the overarching Government
policies “Every Child Matters” and “Youth Matters”, with the
motto “Something to do, somewhere to go, someone to
talk to” and how these are applied locally;
Hilary Cox, Deputy Leader of Dorset County Council,
provided the strategic overview, presenting the long term
challenges for Dorset and how this relates to youth;
12
Simon Fraiz-Brown, Democracy and Participation
Worker, explained how young people are encouraged to
engage with democratic processes and are actively
involved in awarding funds through the Youth
Opportunities Fund and finally;
Clive Hawkins, Head of the Dorset Youth Offending
Team and Will Burnett, Dorset Constabulary (Police),
outlined how approaches such as restorative justice and
partnership working can limit the number of young people
entering the criminal justice system.
The focus for the afternoon was on delegate participation.
An exchange of experiences and ideas was enabled
through facilitated theme stations, covering each of the
five themes of the conference.
Delegates contributed actively at each of the theme
stations, the findings of which were reported back to the
group during the plenary session. A summary of these
contributions are presented in the Experience and
Findings section of this report.
Day 2: Day 2 focused on local delivery of Government
Policies and delegates were welcomed to Sherborne Area
Youth Centre, Sherborne Town Council Offices and the
Rendez-Vous (a charitable organisation offering a drop-in
and advisory service for young people).
Rachel Fraiz-Brown, Sherborne Area Youth Worker
gave practical examples of the youth work she delivers “on
the ground” in Sherborne before introducing key local
delivery partners and providing delegates with the
opportunity to deliver short presentations about provision
in their own towns.
Simon Fraiz-Brown introduced two local projects that had
benefited from Youth Opportunities Fund money to
develop or improve activities for young people in the area
and this was followed by a presentation on how young
people can become involved in local youth forums and the
national youth parliament.
13
After lunch and some free time to explore Sherborne,
delegates were received in the Council Chamber where
the opportunities presented to young people by the
European Lifelong Learning Programme, in particular the
Leonardo Programme for students pursuing vocational
training, were discussed.
The Rendez-Vous Centre's Chairman John Crossman
and Manager Ingrid Trill, explained how youth services in
the UK can also be driven by a more local agenda,
working outside of Government policies and targets to
deliver informal and flexible services to young people with
the help of charitable donations and fundraising to meet
specific identified needs. A tour of the facilities, including a
cafe area, sound recording study, health clinic and
computer suite, was given.
Day 3: The final day was the lightest of the three day
programme. Delegates travelled to Woodroffe School to
listen to a talk on the Duke of Edinburgh's International
Award Scheme in Europe by Mary Harper, Duke of
Edinburgh Award Officer for Dorset.
This was later followed by a guided visit to the World
Heritage Jurassic Coast at Charmouth, where Anjana
Khatawa explained how young people are actively
involved in preserving this natural asset. The visit ended
with an afternoon of fossil hunting before enjoying a buffet
dinner and skittles match to conclude the Study Visit.
5.0 Experience and Findings The following section summarises the key issues and
recommendations that were agreed under each of the
themes, as well as providing a higher level overview of the
challenges and opportunities for Douzelage towns in
providing for their young people.

Theme Stations and Plenary

Many of the experiences and ideas contributed by
delegates were shared and from this there was a general
consensus and group support for the positive solutions
proposed during discussions at each of the theme stations.
Nonetheless, some distinct variations in the level of
provision for young people and the approach of local
Councils to involve them in decision-making were noted. It
was clear from the outset that any improvements made
across Douzelage towns would come from very different
starting points.

14
5.1 Youth provision and funding support
Key differences and challenges:
The definition of a 'young person' varies between
countries and interventions ranged from 7-30 years of
age. It was considered that while some countries provide
too little too late, youth services in others do not provide
adequate support beyond 18 and consequently are less
able to recruit to peer mentoring programmes or provide
sufficient guidance to young people seeking local
employment, for example.
Due to the size of some member towns, not all have a
local youth centre, although schools and other community
buildings are often made available to youth groups.
Conversely, some towns have no dedicated venue for
young people to meet and many young people are forced
to travel to neighbouring towns for entertainment, which
can be costly and impractical where there is limited
transport infrastructure.
While most towns benefit from a mixture of government
led, school-based and voluntary sector activities, including
church/faith-based, in some towns these lack
coordination.
For many youth workers, funding is predominantly
received from the state, supported by limited local
15
fundraising and financial input. Government funded youth
initiatives and youth workers are not always trusted
however and can be perceived to be delivering their own
agendas, ignoring real needs.
In busy tourist towns, many activities are seasonal and
expensive, geared towards satisfying visitors rather than
locals.
Recommendations:
It was agreed that young people should be involved in
the design and planning of buildings and activities
Activities should be organised and services delivered
when and where young people need them most
Activities and services for groups should be balanced with
targeted outreach work for vulnerable individuals.
Public transport should service existing provision and new
activities organised when public transport can get people
to and from the venue. Alternatively dedicated transport
services should be provided.
Libraries and other community buildings should be
made available to young people in the evening, perhaps
offering some form of late-night café.
Young people should be supported to find 'acceptable'
locations for their meetings/activities and start-up
funding provided for new groups established by young
people.

In some towns the Local Authority, or families who can

afford to, should subsidise activities for those who
cannot, contributing to greater social cohesion and
integration of all young people, irrespective of background.

16
5.2 Healthy Lifestyles
The discussions in this theme station were divided into
three key areas; physical, sexual and mental health
related issues and services.
The discussions highlighted good provision of sports
facilities across Douzelage towns, many supported by their
natural surroundings. However, it is apparent that there
are extreme cultural differences in the approach to dealing
with mental and sexual health issues in schools, churches,
primary health care and youth service providers.
Key differences and challenges:
17
Physical Activity
Access to organised activities is limited by cost and/or
lack of transport.
Tourist towns suffer due to the seasonality of some
activities and elevated prices.
While all towns benefit from some form of sports facilities,
the quality and quantity varies considerably and many
youngsters still rely on self-organised groups for regular
physical activity
Obesity is a growing problem among young people
across Douzelage towns.
Sporting activities meet the needs of male youngsters but
the options available can exclude and deter girls from
participating.
Sexual Health
Discussing sexual health is still taboo in many
countries, while other towns take a more liberal approach
to issues of sexual activity and sexual health among
young people.
Some towns have dedicated sexual health clinics and
begin to address the subject in primary or secondary
schools, while the Church plays an important role in
delivering sex education in other towns.
A 'medical' approach is often taken, which can too often
focus on the biology of 'not getting pregnant', rather than
on the immediate and long-term implications of sexually
transmitted infections.
Mental Health
The provision of services for young people with mental
health issues ranges from no facilities, to drop-in centres,
family centres and helplines. Schools often have links
to psychologists and counselling services and act as
referral agents.
Recommendations:
Mobile outreach projects that deliver organised activities
where young people congregate, for example Street
Soccer, address issues of perceived anti-social behaviour,
as well as provide easy access to sporting activity.
Traffic light systems and healthy food choices in
schools help promote good health.
The role of the Church, and other voluntary and
community sector organisations, in delivering healthy
18
lifestyles advice and sex education should be more widely
appreciated and incorporated/integrated into mainstream
provision.
Case Studies
Sigulda – Sigulda benefits from the existence of specialist
sports schools and local olympic athletes who motivate and
encourage participation in physical activity. The local Council
subsidises 45% of sporting activities so that even the most
exclusive centres are fully inclusive.
Oxelosund – The key agencies in the local area work to the
same set of shared aims and goals, communicating effectively
with young people and enabling successful cross-referral to
key sexual and mental health services. Support is provided
from birth into adult life through coordinated family centres.
Meerssen – The 'sex is fun' message communicated through
the Month of Love sex education programme, is delivered by
schools and youth centres, seeking to raise awareness and
reduce the curiosity that can lead to early and under-prepared
sexual encounters among young people. This approach is
bold and direct, but has had positive results.
5.3 Retention of Young People
Key differences and challenges:
A lack of skilled, varied and well paid jobs in Douzelage
towns limits opportunities to remain living locally and
reduces aspirations to do so.
Many young people leave towns to access Secondary
and Higher Education, where higher education does
exist, the course options can be limited.
Young people are priced out of the local housing
market and in many Douzelage towns this is fuelled by
low wages, yet housing developments are often still
designated for over 55s, never for the under 25s!
Quiet, 'idyllic' Douzelage towns do not provide sufficient
entertainment for young people and are marketed by
and for the older generation.
Poor transport links can limit ability to access jobs and
entertainment within towns or neighbouring towns.
A lack of mobility within the workforce reduces the
opportunities and openings for young people to enter the
labour market within Douzelage towns.
Communities such as Chojna are divided as families and
19
friends go abroad for work.
The value of jobs and the attitude towards certain types
of employment influences young peoples aspirations and
the likelihood of them remaining in the local labour market.
Recommendations:
The provision of affordable housing should be a
priority in Douzelage towns and local housing trusts could
be explored.
Investment in facilities for young people, which limit the
need for travel should be made, contributing to the
sustainable communities agenda.
Douzelage towns should lobby for greater Government
support to provide opportunities for young entrepreneurs
and local business start-ups.
All jobs should have equal value and apprenticeships
into key service sectors should be encouraged as much as
pursuing a university education.
The adoption and use of technology for flexible and
home working, should be promoted and enabled.
Young people should be encouraged to engage more
with local politics to influence the policy, priorities and
promotion of their town to better meet their needs.

Local businesses should be supported to provide 'local

jobs for local people'; identifying local skills and
developing skills through new apprenticeship schemes.
Where possible businesses should consider their possible
role in supporting young employees into local housing.

Quality work-related training and placements should be

provided in local businesses for those not in education or
employment (NEET). Accreditation will help access future
employment opportunities.

20
5.4 Youth Justice
Key differences and challenges:
Delegates recognised that many of the youngsters who
participate in criminal activity or are disengaged from
society, originate from families with a history of
criminality or social exclusion and wider family support
is often key to successful re-integration.
In many Douzelage towns, young peoples' relationship
with the Police can be strained. Heavy-handed policing
fuels mis-trust and can demonstrate a lack of
understanding of the challenges facing young people in
Douzelage communities.
The negative perception of young people is one of the
greatest challenges to overcome. The disengaged
minority appear to influence communities' responses to
young people as a whole.
In a number of towns the lack of facilities and not having
enough to do is often cited as a principle reason for
young people being attracted to criminal activities.
A small number of young people resort to drug and
alcohol use in most Douzelage towns, but it was not felt
to be a significant problem.
21
Recommendations:
Intergenerational projects and positive Press, provide
the best opportunities to dispel misconceptions about
young people and can promote social cohesion. Young
people are not always 'the problem' and can often be the
victims.
Restorative justice is considered a more favourable
approach to dealing with minor criminal offences and
provides an educational experience as well as being a
more effective means of reducing re-offending.
Cooperation between the Police and local youth/social
workers ensures that the underlying causes of anti-
social behaviour and minor criminal offences are
appreciated and dealt with in a sensitive and constructive
way.
Diversionary activities, supported by quality provision,
serves to reduce the number of young people participating
in less favourable past-times.
Delegates consider some of the smaller Douzelage towns
to be excellent examples of neighbourhood policing,
where closer community networks of family and friends
instil greater respect and discourage anti-social behaviour.
5.5 Young Voices
Key differences and challenges:
While the majority of schools have some form of Council,
to which individuals can be elected, overall there is a lack
of financial and practical support available from Town
Councils and external agencies to develop, service and
engage with youth forums in a formal and meaningful way.
Limited funding reduces the ability of youth councils to
implement change.
Many young people feel disenchanted with local politics
and do not feel that they can actively influence local
decision-making.
Young people feel that consultation processes are a
'box-ticking' exercise, rather than a genuine attempt to
gain their views and input.
The minority of disengaged young people, fuelling
negative perceptions of the majority, have the loudest
voice and the most significant impact on relationships
between communities and their younger citizens.
22
Recommendations:
Opportunities to become involved in school, regional and
national youth councils should be provided, supported and
encouraged in all Douzelage towns.
Citizenship courses in schools should provide practical
information and advice on how to become involved in
local politics and influence the decisions that affect young
people.
Local town Councils should seek to provide small grants
and support to young people in order that they can
develop their own projects, to establish new activities and/
or improve facilities for example.
Town Councillors should make an effort to communicate
directly with young people in order to represent their
views most effectively.
6.0 Best Practice -Sherborne & UK
Youth Opportunities Fund (to follow)
In England the policy on the provision of support for children and
young people rests with Central Government, the Department
for Children, Schools and Families The key policies driving this are: Rendez-Vous (to follow)
1. Every Child Matters
2. Youth Matters: Something to do, somewhere to go, Tinneys (to follow)
someone to talk to
Under Every Child Matters the Government's aim is for every child,
whatever their background or their circumstances, to have the support
they need to:
• Be healthy
• Stay safe
• Enjoy and achieve
• Make a positive contribution
• Achieve economic well-being
Organisations involved in providing services to children - from
hospitals and schools, to police and voluntary groups - work together,
sharing information, to protect children and young people from harm
and help them achieve. The aim is for children and young people to
have far more say about issues that affect them as individuals and
collectively. For further information see: www.everychildmatters.gov.uk

Under Youth Matters the aim is to give all young people the chance of
a positive future by helping them to learn in ways that motivate and
stretch them and enable them to achieve; engage in positive
developmental activities; make informed choices about their lives and
benefit from high-quality, targeted support before problems escalate.

The British Government delegates to first-tier Local Authorities like

Dorset County Council to implement these policies.

23
7.0 Feedback objectives of the study visit had been met.

Other comments received from delegates following the

At the end of the study visit, participants were asked to study visit included:
evaluate their experience and provide both positive and
negative feedback to the organising committee.
Responses can be grouped under the following headings.

Organisation – Generally delegates felt that the study visit

had been well-organised.

Programme – While some delegates felt that the theme

stations, presentations and workshop sessions were very
useful, many found that there were too many long
presentations and insufficient time to digest and reflect
upon the information provided to them. Delegates would
also have valued a more structured ice-breaker at the
beginning of the visit and more free time to explore the “We really enjoyed every minute of this
town. meeting. Thank you very much.
Social – One of the most frequently mentioned positives,
was the group dynamic, the opportunity to make new
friends, practise English and exchange ideas.
“Thank s for a g r e at time that I
Learning – A number of delegates commented on the
usefulness of the ideas and information shared during the hope will lead to m ore.”
study visit and could see ways of applying them and or
working together to develop those ideas in future.
Conversely, it was not clear to others whether the

24
 A complete table of positive and negative feedback
“Thank you for making this meeting received is available at www.scribd.com . The Organising
possible. We will keep the great time we Committee have taken on board the various points made
and would be happy to share their own learning and
spent here in our minds!” experience with other Douzelage towns wishing to host
such an event.
“So many thoughts and experiences, it
is impossible to
voice our gratitude
to the Sherborne
Douzelage staff.
Thank you.”

25
8.0 Conclusions & Recommendations
8.1 Aims and Outcomes
The Organising Committee are confident that the aims of
the study visit were fully met:
To organise and host a Study Visit that was within budget
while being challenging, informative and enjoyable for all
participants
The study visit was within budget and feedback received
from participants suggests that the three day programme
was challenging, informative and enjoyable.
To stretch the capacity of Douzelage to produce work that
adds substantial value to the present benefits of
membership of the organisation and to demonstrate to
local authorities and the EU the growing value of the
organisation
The study visit was the first of its kind for International
Douzelage, providing an opportunity to engage new
participants and tackling a specialist subject area that
gained the support of Dorset County Council. The
successful bid to the European Youth in Action Programme
proves the quality of the programme, while this final report
allows for continued learning and develop within and
26
beyond Douzelage towns.
To give visiting delegations a broad and enjoyable social
experience
While the delegates participated in an extremely full
programme of presentations and workshop sessions,
these were interspersed with social activities including a
welcome dinner, a visit to Dorset County Museum, free
time in Sherborne, shopping and traditional fish and chips
in Lyme Regis, fossil hunting on Charmouth Beach and a
Skittles competition.
To raise the profile of Sherborne Douzelage within the
town and in Dorset
The involvement of Dorset County Council, Dorset
Constabulary, Sherborne Area Youth and Community
Centre, the Rendezvous, Sherborne Town Council and the
Jurassic Coast Heritage Centre have helped to raise the
profile of Douzelage within Sherborne and Dorset. It is
hoped that this report will also be circulated widely among
UK and European partners to further raise the profile of
International Douzelage and the findings of this study visit.

8.2 Key Challenges
The key challenges identified in providing a similar level of
youth provision across Douzelage towns are summarised
below:
• Youth provision, support for youth activities and
youth involvement varies considerably across
Douzelage Towns, as does the definition of a
‘young person’.
• Youth provision and education services are
delivered through a variety of means and to
varying degrees, e.g. advice on sexual health. In
some towns Schools have limited involvement in
service delivery, while others have no secondary
school at all.
• The degree of general and financial support
provided by Town Councils and other tiers of Local
Government varies considerably between towns.
• There are limited funding options available to
support youth activities co-ordinated independently
of Local Governments. Existing application
processes are very bureaucratic and erratic
funding streams limits long-term sustainability
27
of activities.
• The majority of funding appears to be for capital
purchases. Not enough money is provided to
meet revenue costs.
• Funding encourages a box ticking exercise,
focusing on quantity not quality.
• Irrespective of quantity or quality of youth provision,
the cost of participation and poor transport links
restricts access for many young people.
• It is accepted that many young people will leave
Douzelage Towns to access higher education,
employment and other opportunities. However,
insufficient attention is paid to those who
remain and attracting back those leaving for
education.
• Policies and representations of Douzelage Towns
still reflect the expectations, preferences and
needs of older residents.
• The focus on young people overlooks the
significant influence of parents and the
environment on the ability of young people to
participate in society and to access the activities
and services designed for them.
8.3 Positive solutions projects that promote social cohesion.
The workshop and plenary sessions identified the following
positive actions as necessary for delivering quality and • School Councils, Youth Parliaments and other similar
mainstream and targeted improvements for young people in activities, including mock elections, promote
Douzelage towns: democratic involvement of young people and
understanding of local decision-making.
• Improved partnership working between key
agencies is essential for young peoples’ needs to be • Support for home-working, young entrepreneurs
identified and appropriately addressed. Clear, simple and promotion of local skills should be a priority
and shared aims should be established for agencies and will attract new businesses and varied
to deliver services. employment opportunities for school-leavers and
returning graduates.
• Young people should be involved in the design,
planning and delivery of facilities and activities,
increasing their sense of ownership, respect for
property and engagement in other areas of local
decision-making.

• Local non-public fundraising and enthusiastic

people can be equally successful, if not more so, in
providing funds to develop quality youth facilities and
activities. This often provides more freedom to deliver
services and activities where Local Government
support is not forthcoming.

• Local perceptions of young people as a ‘problem’

must be changed, by encouraging promotion of the
positive things young people do, e.g. intergenerational

28