ResPublica and NCVYS launching Commission on Youth

New joint venture from ResPublica and National Council for Voluntary Youth Services

ResPublica and NCVYS are delighted to announce a joint 12-month Commission on Youth, launching in April. Following our work with many youth organisations in the aftermath of the August riots, NCVYS has maintained commitment to help build solutions with members and partners to one of the worst waves of civil unrest in a generation.  

Several reviews and inquiries have been conducted in order to analyse the motivations of the rioters and the multifaceted social issues behind the actions witnessed in August. Understanding of the issues involved remains however partial with a number of fragmented accounts emphasising isolated issues of welfare dependency or distrust of the police, and this Commission will focus on a more holistic narrative with a multi-output initiative that will shape and redefine terms of the debate around the riots.

The aim of the Commission in its first stages will be to identify gaps in public understanding and offer innovative angles to these by investigating the correlation between institutional ‘anomie’ and civil unrest. The key question this project will seek to answer is whether the alienation from social institutions translates into the fragmentation of social identity and rejection of self-regulatory values.  The discussions and topics to be explored through the Commission will serve as a basis for future research or policy initiatives in key areas affecting young people and communities.

We are now establishing the steering group for the Commission, as well as sponsorship and contributions from a range of civil society partners.

NCVYS Chief Executive, Susanne Rauprich said:

“As we approach the anniversary of the August 2011 riots, the Commission will offer space for reflection, dialogue and debate. We will be working with experts in our membership and academics to match real life experience of working with young people with social theory and existing research. By partnering with ResPublica we hope to develop solutions with an influential and independent think tank that can help us to steer change.”

Founder and Director of ResPublica, Phillip Blond said:

“As a society, we have failed to nurture productive forms of association and institutional formation. This was a key factor in the level of anomie that was manifested in last summer’s riots. Too many reactions from policy makers and commentators decried young people's loss of character and morality, but to create and foster virtue for the next generation we need to look at how engaging young people with institutions will help cultivate a society within which all can flourish."

The Commission will last around 12 months, from April 2012 to April 2013. The full output may include one or more of the following deliverables:

• Private roundtable/ Steering Group meeting: The event will launch the commission, drawing together key partners for the commission, who will contribute with recommendations that will be internally transcribed and leading to the public conference. Attendees will include representatives from youth organisations, private businesses, academia, faith and school institutions.

• Full-day public conference: For groups and key decision-makers from local and national organisations, to be held in a Westminster location in July 2012. The event will explore each of the discussion topics and young people might be involved.

• ResPublica Green Paper publication:  Published and disseminated on-line, this short and provocative piece outlines an argument which could spark a debate and prompt feedback and deeper reflection on the topic. Steering group members will be consulted on content and specific individuals could take a co-authorship role if appropriate.

• Compendium/ Essay Collection: This publication would bring together leading experts in the field to contribute towards a structured narrative, in the form of individual essays or commentaries. Contributors would be senior commentators including MPs, Peers, journalists, academics and thought leaders.

• Party conference fringe series: ResPublica host a range of public fringe events at all three main party conferences each autumn. Open to all conference delegates, they conventionally feature a panel of experts including politicians, policy-makers, business and civil society representatives and high profile commentators and journalists.

For further details about the Commission, including provisional discussion topics and the budget required for various tiers of sponsorship, please do not hesitate to contact Faiza Chaudary, Deputy Chief Executive at NCVYS at Faiza@ncvys.org.uk or Caroline MacFarland, Managing Director at Respublica at Caroline.Macfarland@respublica.org.uk.