Understanding the value of youth work
King’s College London have been researching to raise awareness of the need for better accountability and evaluation practices centred on young people and their needs.
With the help of young people in youth clubs (including The Hive in Exmouth) across the country, they were able to create two new resources that would benefit Policy-Makers and Practitioners. With the threats to youth work - caused by economic austerity and the increased use of outcome-based monitoring procedures.
Research carried out by Dr Tania de St Croix, Senior Lecturer in the Sociology of Youth and Childhood, and Louise Doherty, Research Associate in Youth Work, found:
Formal evaluation and monitoring practices were rarely effective or appropriate in gaining an accurate understanding of the importance of youth work for young people.
Involving young people and practitioners in decisions about evaluation and accountability, along with mixed qualitative evaluation processes, is instrumental to articulate a more equitable, nuanced approach to accountability.
Youth work provides the young people with safe yet informal spaces where they can have critical conversations around personal challenges and wider social issues with adults who are neither parents nor teachers.
Dr Tania de St Croix said: “With these two new resources, we are hoping to make the research accessible and useful for policy and practice, when it comes to evaluating and understanding the impact of youth work.
You can find out more about their research in these two resources linked below:
Check out this video showcasing the impact of Youth Work
Quotes from young people about the Hive Youth Centre
“This place is special because not only is there a very wide range of activities and diverse people - there’s a chance to see different perspectives.”
“I think it’s a really good space where I know I won’t be judged.”
“If I didn’t come here I’d probably just be on my phone.”
If you would like to find out more about this research, check out King’s College London’s website. A huge thank you to them for letting us take part in their research!