Posted by 
Young people have hailed the importance of youth work and called for more investment into it – despite youth workers warning they cannot currently meet the “growing demand and complexity of young people’s needs”.
They are just some of the findings of In Our Own Words, newly published research examining the role and value of youth work. The study, commissioned by the NCS Trust and delivered by national youth work charity UK Youth, found “open-access, centre-based, holistic youth provision remains critical to supporting young people”, but needs sustained investment.
Oscar Bingham, UK Youth assistant director of research and impact, said: “Centre-based youth provision, local to young people in their communities, acts as a springboard for other youth development opportunities.
“The spaces and support young people engage with should be adapted to meet individual needs, giving them meaningful choice and control about the youth work support they receive, ‘ownership’ of community buildings and a meaningful voice in shaping the policies that impact them.”
Other key findings included that “youth practitioners cannot currently meet the growing demand and increasing complexity of young people’s needs” and, while they do not see digital youth work as a silver bullet, “technology has an important role to play in staying connected with young people in times of crisis and in underpinning routine provision”.
Oscar said: “Youth practitioners are calling for: investment in youth work as a preventative solution; a rethink of the system around young people – statutory mental health services, examination culture in the education system, local transport links, etc.; improved partnership working and cross-sector working across the professions that support young people; and urgent investment to develop a sustainable pipeline of energised youth practitioners with the right skills to support young people and their organisations.
The research, which solicited audio-recorded testimonies and engaged youth practitioners through focus groups, aimed to understand the views, motivations and priorities of young people and youth workers in England, in a bid to build understanding of the role and value of youth work.
Gregory Dash, NCS strategy and research manager, said: “This research highlights what young people and practitioners value most about youth provision and makes recommendations for the sector, funders and policy-makers.
“With the government recently announcing that NCS will close its doors in 2025 and with the development of a new National Youth Strategy on the horizon, this research comes at a critical time.
“It’s vital the recommendations are considered as part of a growing body of evidence into the role and value of youth work and how the youth sector can be underpinned to give young people the very best chance in life.”
Oscar said: “This research has clearly highlighted the preventative role youth work can play in young people’s lives. Many of the findings came as no surprise to us – the report highlights issues young people and youth practitioners have been grappling with for many years. However, it also shines a spotlight on the solutions that are most wanted and needed today, in the words of young people and youth workers.”
The voices of those participating in this research have been brought to life in a short, animated film – see youtu.be/fEWd0dC1GUM – while to read the full report, visit shorturl.at/Bt4k6
Oscar said: “The publication of In Our Own Words is incredibly timely following the Government’s launch of Deliver You, a national campaign seeking the voices of young people to shape the Government’s new National Youth Strategy.
“In Our Own Words contributes further evidence to this national conversation, of which UK Youth is a key partner through the #iwill movement and which wants to hear what support services, facilities and opportunities young people feel they need outside of school.”
About UK Youth
UK Youth is a leading charity with a vision that all young people are equipped to thrive and empowered to contribute at every stage of their lives. With an open network of more than 9,000 youth organisations and nation partners; UK Youth reaches more than four million young people across the UK and is focused on unlocking youth work as the catalyst of change that is needed now more than ever. To find out more, see ukyouth.org
UK Youth is involved in a range of programmes designed to help young people thrive, such as outdoor learning, physical literacy, social action and employability. For more on UK Youth’s programmes, see ukyouth.org/what-we-do/our-programmes
The post In Our Own Words: young people praise youth work – and demand more investment in it appeared first on UK Youth.
