Resources
This page links to resources of interest to NCVYS members. At the current time there will be a focus on case studies and research which provide evidence of the impact and value of youth work and voluntary and community youth organisations. NCVYS members are welcome to suggest additional documents for this page, please contact Dom Weinberg at dominic@ncvys.org.uk. Research on youth work Research from NCVYS members Research on youth work - The Benefits of Youth Work
Unite and Lifelong Learning UK - March 2010 Report The report highlights the reasons why youth services are needed, and the difference they make to young people's lives. It brings together thinking on the importance of youth work and demonstrates youth work’s value across a wide range of policy initiatives and political imperatives. Through their voluntary relationship with young people youth workers are able to embark upon journeys in a partnership that has enormous behavioural, academic, psychological and economic benefits. The National Youth Agency (NYA) and Local Government Association (LGA) - October 2010 Report The report details how councils are improving the lives of young people through their youth work. It contains case studies of how organisations and councils can work together to provide services covering health, citizenship, participation, and training and education, and the positive impacts such work has on young people. Councils have long experience of working in partnership with other public sector agencies, with their local voluntary and community sector and with local employers, in order to shape the services available to young people. - Making the most of young people's potential
New Philanthropy Capital - Ongoing Reports These reports offer detailed analysis and in-depth research into charities working with young people, and include analysis of the costs and benefits of programmes. Areas of research include After school care, Careers guidance and education, Education overview, Literacy, Mentoring, NEETS (Young people not in employment, education or training), Numeracy, Special educational needs, Transition of disabled young people to adulthood, Truancy and exclusion, Costs of truancy and exclusion, Young offenders, and Young refugees.
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- An evaluation of the impact of youth work in England
Bryan Merton et al; Youth Affairs Unit De Montfort University - 2004 Report The purpose of this evaluation was to identify and explain the impact of youth work  provided and secured by local youth services in England. The report focuses on the impact the work has on young people, but also addresses the impact of youth work on communities and other services for young people. It also identifies and explains the significant factors that influence the impact of youth work, resources and the ways they are used, the active involvement of young people, the ways services are led and managed and the partnerships in which youth work operates to secure the objectives of youth policy. - The role of street-based youth work in linking socially excluded young people into education, training and work.
Joseph Rowntree Foundation - 2004 Rep ort The report reviews detached and outreach youth work with socially excluded young people, in particular its links with the Connexions service. It explores the nature and range of street-based youth work in England and Wales and identifies the effectiveness of agency strategies and practice interventions. A complementary costings accompanies this study which makes an illustrative calculation of what it might cost to provide street-based youth work projects more systematically across deprived local areas in England.
- Engaging young people: local authority youth work 2005–08
Ofsted - 2009 Report The report draws upon evidence from local authority youth services inspections which took place as part of Ofsted’s joint area reviews of children’s and young people’s services from 2005 to 2008. It reports on the quality and impact of youth work. The report tracks recent but early developments in the introduction of integrated youth support. - Supporting young people: an evaluation of recent reforms to youth support services in 11 local areas
Ofsted - 2010 Report The survey examines the progress made in 11 local authority areas in developing new arrangements to integrate the work of various youth support agencies. The handout summarises the key factors that contribute effectively to change and improvement. It aims to promote discussion and aid planning in local authorities, voluntary and community sector organisations, commissioning agencies and other providers of youth support services. - State of the Sector Issue 4
National Association of Youth Theatres - Spring 2011 Resource State of the Sector publishes the comprehensive data NAYT holds on the youth theatre sector in England, highlighting the accomplishments and needs of the sector. It is intended to be a resource; providing evidence that can be used to make the case for a well supported, diverse, sustainable youth theatre sector. This edition was originally published in Spring 2011. This product is a PDF download. You will need Adobe Reader installed on your computer to view it. Purchase the document via the above link. Norfolk Youth Services - January 2011 Report The report assesses youth work’s contribution to securing positive outcomes for Norfolk’s young people and the potential impact of ceasing to fund all youth work provision. It includes: evidence of the power of youth work – what it means to young people & their communities; details of current youth work – what Norfolk County Council commissions and delivers; and analysis of the potential impact of ceasing to fund all youth work on young people, local communities and Norfolk County Council. Research from NCVYS members- The Cost of Exclusion: Counting the cost of youth disadvantage in the UK
Prince's Trust - November 2010 Report The report estimates that the number of young people aged between 16 and 24 claiming unemployment benefit for more than 12 months has quadrupled since the start of the recession to 232,000, and therefore that youth unemployment currently costs the country up to £155m a week. It also finds that the cost of youth crime in Britain has risen to £1.2bn a year due to more young people being imprisoned. - Back from the Brink: How Fairbridge transforms the lives of disadvantaged young people
Fairbridge - July 2010 Report
 The report brings together the results of three evaluative studies of Fairbridge's work over ten years and is based on a sample of 3200 individuals. It provides detailed evidence about what works for disadvantaged young people and demonstrates the empirical value of development work with young people. - What’s the real cost of cutting costs?
Young Advisors - February 2011 Report  This report outlines some headline costs of services that could be required by young people if key preventative services are withdrawn. It gives estimates of the costs for young people of being in a YOI, in care, homeless, or unemployed.
- Improving Services for Young People
Catch22 - March 2011 Report
The report on youth services, commissioned through nef (the new economics foundation), reveals that if a more coordinated approach to services for vulnerable young people were adopted the cost benefits to the state, and improved outcomes for young people, would be to the value of £3.2 billion. It shows that adopting a more joined-up approach to services for young people would see a return of £5.65 for every £1.00 invested. - Formative Evaluation of v
vInspired - February 2011 Report The report, produced in partnership with NatCen National Centre for Social Research, Institute for Volunteering Research, University of Southampton, University of Birmingham, Public Zone. It found: a robust and very conservative Social Return on Investment ratio of £5.80 for every pound invested; evidence that vinspired has engaged a diverse range of young volunteers and; confirmation that vinspired created and filled over one million volunteering opportunities for young people aged 16 - 25.
- A proven early intervention model – the evidence for Youth Information Advice Counselling and Support services (YIACS)
Youth Access - December 2010 Report
This is a comprehensive survey of the evidence of the effectiveness, value and outcomes of young people’s information, advice, counselling and support services (YIACS). It draws on evidence from a wide range of Government and independent reports and research as well as the testimonies of young people themselves. It demonstrates not only that YIACS are popular with and well-accessed by young people; provide outstanding outcomes; and give undeniable value for money for commissioners across a range of policy areas – but it also sets out clearly the reasons why this is so and the evidence behind it. - Somewhere to belong...a blueprint for 21st Century youth clubs
Clubs for Young People - 2009 Report
The report aims to highlight and champion the role of youth clubs, defining what a great club is. It followed an inquiry of over 400 youth club managers, youth workers, academics and experts with specific knowledge in the field. The report is an aspirational blueprint, both for the development of a great club, and how it is best supported |