Transcript Improving Outcomes for Young People

Improving Outcomes
for
Young People
Heather Stevens
The National Youth Agency
What is The NYA?
• A developmental organisation which
supports all those who work to promote
the personal and social development of
young people
The big picture: young people
today (“big sigh!”)
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Feral youth
Sex, drugs and alcohol
Obese and unhealthy
Gangs, guns and violence
Media junkies
……. Our future?
And the reality?
• Being health
- Decline in teenage pregnancy
- Marked increase in STIs
- Concerns about alcohol
• Enjoying and achieving
-
Increase in GCSE passes
Desire to continue in learning
but 9,600 permanent exclusions
Enjoyment?
And the reality?
• Staying safe
– Increase in number of children and young people on child
protection register (32,100 in 2006)
– 13.8% young men (16-24) experienced a violent crime
(general population: 3.6%)
– 29% of 800 young people under 25 surveyed had been
affected by gun and knife crime
• Economic well-being
– 75,000 young people experienced homelessness in UK
– 2007 – 189,000 young people 16-18 are NEET
And the reality ?
• Making a positive contribution
– Decrease in offences by young people resulting in
a disposal but number of offences by young
women increasing
– 175,000 young carers
– Volunteering on the increase: 51% of
16-24
• A 6th outcome?
– Being valued!
So, how can we improve these
outcomes?
• Strong policy context
– Youth Matters
– Children’s Plan
– Aiming High
– Education and Skills Bill
Challenges
• Integration, integration, integration!
• A market environment
– Competition v partnership
• Balance: universal v targeted
• Keeping up!!
• Making a difference: how do you know?
Guiding principles
Access for all young people
– Diversity of customers
– Transport
– Social media opportunities
Guiding principles
Empowerment
– Giving away some control
– YOF/YCF – participatory budgeting
– Tools exist to help e.g. Hear by Right
Guiding principles
Quality
– Commitment to it
– Young people deserve it
– A range of tools e.g. NYA Quality
Mark, Healthy Youth Work GPGs