An evaluation sought to identify and explain the impact of youth work provided and secured by local youth services in England. Two-thirds of young people reported that youth work had made a considerable difference to their lives - including increased confidence, making new friends, learning new skills, making decisions for themselves, and feeling more able to ask for help and information when needed.
Source: Bryan Merton et al., An Evaluation of the Impact of Youth Work in England, Research Report 606, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf) | Brief (pdf)
Date: 2004-Dec
A study aimed to enhance understanding of the impact of the Connexions Service on young people, particularly those at risk of underachievement and disaffection.
Source: Liz Hoggarth and Douglas Smith, Understanding the Impact of Connexions on Young People at Risk, Research Report 607, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf) | Brief (pdf)
>Date: 2004-Dec
Researchers examined the work of the Connexions youth service, and the problems involved in inter-agency work to help young people facing complex problems.
Source: Bob Coles, Liz Britton and Leslie Hicks, Building Better Connections: Interagency work and the Connexions Service, Policy Press for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Report (pdf) | JRF Findings D24
Date: 2004-Dec
A report by a committee of MPs said that the government should explore why there were large apparent variations in the attention that local Connexions partnerships paid to different groups of young people across England. Connexions should also work towards aligning its targets with those of the Learning and Skills Council.
Source: Connexions Service, Forty-eighth Report (Session 2003-04), HC 618, House of Commons Public Accounts Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report
Date: 2004-Nov
Researchers examined the interagency strategies developed by Connexions Partnerships, and the impact they had on the interventions made with young people facing acute and complex needs.
Source: Bob Coles, Liz Britton and Leslie Hicks, Building Better Connections: Interagency work and the Connexions Service, Policy Press, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Summary
Date: 2004-Nov
A literature review examined evidence from education, employment, health, leisure and other services for young people in Wales, and reviewed some of the 'promising approaches' to the promotion of young people s universal entitlement to such services.
Source: Kevin Haines, Stephen Case and Jo Portwood, Extending Entitlement: Creating visions of effective practice for young people in Wales, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2004-Aug
A report argued that socially excluded young people from disadvantaged communities were often the victims of a 'no ball games' culture, and lacked activities to keep them entertained and away from anti-social behaviour.
Source: No Ball Games? Getting young people back into education, employment and training, Prince's Trust (020 7543 1234)
Links: Prince's Trust press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Aug
A report was published of the first national study of street-based youth work in England and Wales. It focused in particular on work with socially excluded young people. Street-based youth work had grown significantly in recent years: but geographical coverage was still very uneven. A linked paper explored the costs of providing street-based youth work in deprived communities.
Source: David Crimmens et al., Reaching Socially Excluded Young People: A national study of street-based youth work, National Youth Agency (0116 285 3700) for Joseph Rowntree Foundation | Tom Wylie, Costing Street-based Youth Work, York Publishing Services for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from York Publishing Services Ltd (01904 430033)
Links: JRF Findings | JRF press release | Costs report (pdf)
Date: 2004-Jun
A report examined the use of youth work in 40 local authorities in England. Overall, the evidence suggested that the programmes successfully engaged with some of the hardest-to-reach young people living in the most deprived areas.
Source: David Turner and Steve Martin, Delivering Social Inclusion: An evaluation of the Neighbourhood Support Fund projects managed by The NYA, Centre for Local and Regional Government Research/Cardiff University (029 2087 4000)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2004-May
A report set out a blueprint to help meet the needs of more than 1 million young people who were not in education, employment or training. Based on a consultation with the hardest to reach young people aged 14-25, the report identified the barriers that disadvantaged young people believed prevented them from achieving their goals. It also highlighted perceived gaps in services, and who young people turned to for support.
Source: Reaching the Hardest to Reach, Prince's Trust (020 7543 1234)
Links: Report (pdf) | Prince's Trust press release (pdf) | Observer report
Date: 2004-Mar
An audit report said the Connexions service was on target to meet its major objective of reducing the proportion of young people aged 16-18 not in education, employment or training by 10 per cent by November 2004. Achieving the 10 per cent target might result in short-term economic benefits of 180 million, and longer-term benefits of over 1.4 billion.
Source: Department of Education and Skills - Connexions Service for all Young People, National Audit Office (020 7798 7000) HC 484 (Session 2003-04)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | NAO press release
Date: 2004-Mar
The government's 'Connexions' youth advisory service published its annual review for 2002-03, outlining the service's structure, partnerships, working methods and achievements for the period.
Source: Annual Review 2002-03, Connexions/Department for Education and Skills (dfes@prolog.uk.com)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary
Date: 2004-Feb
A Welsh Assembly Government consultation paper addressed issues relating to policy and the provision of services for children and young people in Wales, and described briefly what had been achieved over the previous 3 years; set out ongoing activities; and outlined the way forward.
Source: Children and Young People: Rights to Action, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Links: Consultation document (pdf)
Date: 2004-Jan