News
Sector Puts Forward Strong Evidence Base – National Youth Agency Responds to Select Committee Inquiry
28 January 2011
National Youth Agency chief executive Fiona Blacke has today reinforced the message about an evidence base following her appearance at the Education Select Committee Inquiry held on Wednesday 26 January 2011.
Ms Blacke said: “The sector, including the National Youth Agency, put forward a strong case for the value and importance of youth work to society and the potential damage budget reductions will have on young people’s lives.”
Asked about the evidence provided by the National Youth Agency, Ms Blacke said: “I honestly believe that failure to invest in targeted and preventative services for young people is an economic time bomb.’
“The sector is bursting with qualitative and quantitative evidence about the impact youth work has on young people’s lives. The NYA and others have published research of this kind over many years and the Select Committee was aware of it. In partnership with the Local Government Association we recently published the Value of Youth Work, featuring case studies of youth projects around the country. The issue is not about the amount of evidence available, but the way in which it is presented.
“Staff at Fairbridge, for example, can tell you that if they are working with a young person involved in the criminal justice system, they can keep that young person out of the criminal justice system for £4,000 a year. The cost to the state of having that young person in a custodial place is £65,000. You don’t have to be an economist to work out that isn’t value for money...
“The Select Committee asked why there was no single matrix available that shows ‘if you invest X in this kind of youth work intervention you will save Y down the line in health, crime, cohesion etc.’ We are now working with partners to bring the tools together to create such a system, which can be used and recognised by councils, and is owned by the sector.”
Further information on how the National Youth Agency is working to support the youth sector and details of the Select Committee Inquiry, including a link to an online film of proceedings, can be found at: www.nya.org.uk/supporting-youth-work.
ENDS
For further media information CONTACT
Holly-Marie Draper
Tel: 07921 687847
Email: hollyd@nya.org.uk