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Preventative intervention of youth work
4 November 2024
- Blog
UK Youth has published a new report with Institute for Government which sets out a clear path for government to unlock the power of preventative services, including youth work.
The report sets out how the new government can use the opportunity of a new parliament to shift to a preventative approach to public services that seeks to address and manage citizens’ problems before they reach crisis point. This would reap financial and political benefits by helping tackle the crises in the NHS, criminal justice, youth services and beyond – and lead to happier and healthier lives for millions.
Preventative local authority spending on services like youth clubs and children’s centres was cut by more than three-quarters, 77.9 per cent, between 2009-10 and 2022-23, while acute spending on looked after children and safeguarding services rose by more than half, 58.1 per cent, over the same period. This is bad economics and it is hurting young people.
Key findings
- Government has a key role to play in preventing harms, but has consistently failed to prioritise prevention with funding and policy focus;
- The government must focus on prevention or risk worse public services and higher taxes;
- The increasing scale and severity of young people’s needs requires a major response from local and national governments;
- Youth work is an example of a preventative intervention;
- Youth work is proven to have positive outcomes for young people in the short term, including improved mental health, educational attainment, and reduced crime and anti-social behaviour;
- Young people who engage in youth work become happier, healthier, and wealthier adults than those who do not;
- Despite being an effective preventative service, government funding for youth work has reduced dramatically – by at least 60 per cent – since 2010;
- This briefing recommends a range of steps that government can take to make preventative services – including youth work – more accessible and sustainable.
UK Youth is urging the youth sector to use this report to highlight the preventative intervention of youth work. This report can be a powerful tool to help evidence how youth work is an essential tool for all youth services.
About UK Youth
UK Youth is a leading charity with a vision that all young people are equipped to thrive and empowered to contribute at every stage of their lives. With an open network of more than 9,000 youth organisations and nation partners; UK Youth reaches more than four million young people across the UK and is focused on unlocking youth work as the catalyst of change that is needed now more than ever. To find out more, visit ukyouth.org
UK Youth is involved in a range of programmes designed to help young people thrive, such as outdoor learning, physical literacy, social action and employability. For more on UK Youth’s programmes, see ukyouth.org/what-we-do/programmes
About Institute for Government
The Institute for Government is the UK’s leading independent think tank working to make government more effective. Through in-depth analysis, expert commentary and influential public events it explores how government works – and how it can work better.