We are guided by a number of operating principles that inform our priorities in the best interests of young people as follows:

CDYSB will actively help communities to develop alternative responses for young people who are not interested in participating in the more traditional forms of youth work.

CDYSB will support youth groups, management committees and professional youth workers to agree strategies for development of local programmes, projects and services.

CDYSB will promote good practice and high quality standards in youth work.

CDYSB will, subject to the resources available, provide resources, such as funding, staff, and development services to communities based on research and analysis of needs at local level.

CDYSB will recognise the importance of local community interests in policy formation for local services, while safeguarding and prioritising the needs and interests of young people.

CDYSB will actively encourage communities to select from a range of different opportunities through promotion of a wide variety of youth work programmes, projects and services.

CDYSB will promote opportunities for young people to participate as fully as possible in decision making in their own groups.

CDYSB will identify and promote the rights of young people in youth work and other educational settings.

CDYSB will promote and encourage the integration of all services for young people at local and national level.

CDYSB will seek to access the maximum available funding and resources from government and other sources for youth work in the city.

CDYSB will seek to influence policy formation at national level in respect of all aspects of provision for young people.

CDYSB will ensure that effective planning and evaluation will be an integral part of all aspects of its operations and of those groups and projects funded by it.

CDYSB will support programmes of positive action in respect of issues such as ethnicity, gender, discrimination, class, sexuality and poverty.

CDYSB will promote equality of opportunity for all young people at all levels in society.