Youth zones show outcomes boost

Ultra-modern youth facilities can deliver substantial savings for the public purse, including local authorities, and help improve the outcomes for young people who use them, analysis by youth zones operator OnSide has revealed.

The findings go some way to responding to calls - most recently from Carey Oppenheim, chief executive of the Early Intervention Foundation - for the youth sector to show evidence of the beneficial outcomes it delivers.

Such evidence could prove timely. Youth work has experienced deep cuts to services already and with further reductions in children's services spending on the horizon, experts say there is greater need than ever before to evidence the outcomes the sector has.

"The impact of austerity on youth services has been severe across the country and universal youth work in particular has been one of the areas hardest hit by the cuts," says OnSide chief executive Kathryn Morley.

"It is incredibly difficult to evidence the fantastic offer provided by universal youth work and with limited budgets available and pressure on the public purse, we need to demonstrate to our funders that by investing in OnSide youth zones, they can generate significant value and benefit.

"This is why our research is so important, as it helps us evidence now more than ever the value and impact that our youth zones make."

Value and impact

The OnSide analysis, carried out by Amion Consulting, looked at the cost savings and social value generated by three of the youth zone centres - The Factory in Manchester, Mahdlo in Oldham and Wigan Youth Zone.

By using the latest social impact measurement tools, which are consistent with those used by HM Treasury, the research found that the average cost of operating the centres was £1.31m, but they delivered an average social value of £2.66m.

The report argues that the real return on public investment is even higher because local authorities provide only 40 per cent of the running costs - half is covered by the private sector and 10 per cent by the facilities themselves.

On average, the three youth zones generated £2.03 of social value for every £1 spent on running the facilities, while the average return on local authority investment was £6.66 for every £1 spent.

Wigan Youth Zone was found to deliver the greatest return on investment for both the youth zone and local authority, with £2.19 of benefits for every £1 on running the facilities and £8.70 of benefits for every £1 spent by the local authority.

The Factory in Manchester had the lowest investment return with £1.75 of benefits for every £1 spent on running the facilities, and £5.29 of benefits for every £1 invested by the local authority.

The research also highlighted the potential of youth zones - OnSide currently has six, with two more set to open in 2016 and a further 12 in the pipeline to be opened by 2020 - to generate public sector savings through improving a range of outcomes.

These varied from a few hundred pounds for helping young people with mental health problems to £52,676 for reducing the need for local authority care.

More coming

Demonstrating such cost savings to services is one reason why Morley says the charity decided to make the "significant investment" in the research.

"We believe it will play a significant part in helping us open youth zones and reach thousands more young people," she adds.

"Anyone who sees a Youth Zone first hand will know intuitively the value it offers to both its young people and the community. However, for local authorities and many other funders to justify an investment in these financially hard times, they require more than anecdotal evidence.

"Quantifiable and independent evidence as part of the case for support enables us to more clearly demonstrate the social return on their investment."

In addition to the cost saving and social benefits, the research included feedback from 101 junior members aged eightto 12-years-old and 110 senior members aged 13- to 19-years-old from across the three youth zones, along with 36 parents and 44 local businesses.

More than three quarters of members were getting along better with family since attending the centres, while 72 per cent had been staying out of trouble since attending.

Nearly 90 per cent reported feeling more self-confident, while 80 per cent had been encouraged by staff and volunteers to think about their future on leaving school and college.

Businesses and public bodies reported reduced crime and anti-social behaviour, and a reduced fear in crime.

They also praised the youth zones for having an impact on government initiatives including the Troubled Families programme, the Youth Contract and community cohesion work.

Guide to youth zones

Youth zones are a "partnership between local authorities, communities, young people and the private sector". Boasting state-of-the-art facilities including fitness equipment, "chill out" areas and music and media suites, they give young people aged eight to 19 years old a quality, safe and affordable place to go.

They can help young people learn new skills and seek advice and support from volunteers and youth workers on issues such as healthy eating, sexual health and careers. Activities include martial arts, outdoor sports and cooking, with admission costing 50p.

OnSide, which operates six existing youth zones, plans to develop a network of 20 centres within five years.