Our summary of COVID-19 youth sector guidance
19 June 2020
The National Youth Agency (NYA) have published guidance with Public Health England and the Health and Safety Executive on managing youth sector activities and spaces during COVID-19. This guidance was updated on 8th August 2020.
We support this guidance, the development of which London Youth had some input into. You can find our joint statement with Partnership for Young London and the Young People’s Foundation Trust in support of the guidance here.
About the guidance
We encourage all of our members to read this guidance and to check for updates regularly. As the Government’s COVID-19 alert level changes, so will the guidance.
Each youth organisation remains responsible for operating safely and managing individual risks according to the young people they work with, their premises, and the forms of delivery they undertake. Resources and templates for carrying out COVID-19 risk assessments can be found here.
This guidance contains information on the general processes, including resources and issues to consider, for organisations delivering safe and socially distanced youth provision during COVID-19:
- Managing risk and completing a risk assessment
- Raising concern
- Social distancing
- Accidents, security and other incidents
- Managing people
- Cleaning
- Personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Communications and training
The guidance was updated in August and now includes additional sections on:
- Local lockdowns
- The requirement for young people to wear face coverings during youth sector activities
- Gathering information for NHS track and trace
About the readiness toolkit
The guidance should be used alongside the readiness framework. NYA will update the readiness level, based on Government guidance.
As of 6th July, the alert level is Amber. Please note that NYA have confirmed that youth organisations will not be affected by further restrictions announced on 9th September. Read our summary here. The following youth sector activity is permitted, subject to a COVID-19 Action Plan and Risk Assessment:
- Online and digital youth services
- Detached or outdoor local youth services (consistent
with social distancing guidelines) - 1-2-1 sessions
- Small group sessions delivered indoors (consistent
with social distancing guidelines and in bubbles of no more than 15 young people)
Official guidance
- Our statement on COVID-19 youth sector guidance
- Our summary of COVID-19 detached youth work guidance
- All COVID-19 official guidance & resources
Read more about how we’re supporting our members during COVID-19, including official guidance and funding resources.
