Our History
PYL's beginnings
PYL was founded in 2005 by a group of interested and committed individuals from statutory and voluntary youth organisations, Connexions Partnerships and regional government bodies, to provide a focal point for youth-related issues in London. These people recognised two main challenges:
- the potential impact of the (then) impending Youth Matters consultation, with all the policy initiatives that would follow;
- the need for a central body to co-ordinate London's response to Youth Matters and to support cross-sector work across London to develop services in the light of what would follow.
Marjory Hester, a consultant, worked to develop a constitution and business plan for the new organisation, and then two staff - Sam Dimmock and Helen Hibbert - were appointed on two-year contracts to run it. They faced a number of decisions:
- how to make PYL recognisable both as a brand and (more importantly) as a feature of the landscape of young people's services in London;
- what services to provide, to whom, and how;
- how to ensure that services provided added value, so that members would return year on year.
PYL's early years
We appreciate the commitment of that group of people who founded us, most of whom have stayed on with PYL either as a trustee or on the Operations Sub-committee. Their support, and that of the key contacts within our member organisations, enabled PYL to establish itself and become recognised quite quickly within London, and to refine the way it operated. We acquired part-time administrative support to help manage the day-to-day operations, including the administration of our seminars. After two years, Sam Dimmock left to become Director of the Get Ready for Geneva programme at the Children's Rights Alliance for England. Her contribution to the development and success of PYL cannot be underestimated. After a short period without a full staffing complement, we achieved the team we have today and the range of support activities that can be found throughout this site.
PYL's coming of age
In 2010 we celebrated our 5th birthday, with a host of members, partnersand colleagues, including trustees, at an event called Why Partnerships Work and Matter. We look forward to working with you in the future, and to inviting you to other celebration events.
