This young people’s health needs assessment focusses specifically on recreational and educational leisure-time activities, is part of the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA), and is in response to the statutory guidance for local authorities on services to improve young people’s wellbeing.
The aim of this needs assessment is to define the health needs, attitudes and behaviours, risk and protective factors, barriers and drivers, in relation to young people accessing recreational and educational leisure-time activities in West Sussex.
The JSNA is a statutory requirement for the Health and Wellbeing Board that looks at the current and future health, wellbeing and care needs of local populations to inform and guide the planning and commissioning services. This may include strategies, action plans and frameworks for delivery.
This needs assessment is designed to be used as a strategy, commissioning and delivery tool to inform recreational and educational leisure-time activities in West Sussex.
In relation to recreational and educational activities in West Sussex, the objectives of this needs assessment are to describe:
- Equity of opportunity across the county, using evidence-based frameworks
- The places young people live in, the social and economic circumstances around them and the effect on health and wellbeing
- What circumstances affect a young person’s ability or desire to participate
- What a young person friendly environment looks like
- The population of young people (aged 11-19 years and aged 20-24 years with learning difficulties or disabilities) in terms of age, gender reassignment, sex, disability, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion, and sexual orientation in West Sussex
- What accessing leisure-time activities looks like for young people in West Sussex in terms of cost, location, timing, age range, whether they are accessible or attractive for people who are protected under the 2010 Equality Act
- How and where young people are engaged in planning and delivery
- The motivators, challenges and solutions for young people in accessing and participation
- How young people’s services relate to other services WSCC and our partners in District and Borough Councils provide; for example; children’s services, early help, education and skills, community safety, health and wellbeing, public health, community safety, parks and the natural environment
This needs assessment report can be used to shape approaches and access for young people (11 - 19 years old or up to 24 for those with learning difficulties or disabilities) to recreational and educational leisure-time activities which are for the improvement of their wellbeing, and sufficient facilities for such activities.
Many of the areas identified in the findings and areas for focus section have programmes of work in place to address these. These are not included in this needs assessment report, they will be part of strategies, action plans or frameworks for delivery.