Institute for Youth Work sees surge in membership

Since May 2015 the professional organisation's membership has grown from 694 to around 2,000.

Prior to 2015, IYW had struggled with recruitment, with its May 2015 membership the same as in September 2014, a year after it first launched.

IYW chair Adam Muirhead said that since then, the organisation has made efforts to forge closer links with employers and universities to promote the IYW among more youth workers and students.

The organisation has also boosted its social media presence and events programme, now staging an annual conference.

"We have a lot of organisational supporters who ideologically support the institute and they bring with them their employees and supporters, for example Essex County Council and Manchester Metropolitan University," said Muirhead.

"We have been trying to build relationships across the sector and people are interested in the potential of the institute and are hopeful of what we can do and will do."

Muirhead said the institute is liaising with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on future youth policy and next month the IYW is to apply for charity status.

"Having that watchful eye of the Charity Commission in terms of robust governance is a benefit and there are more avenues for support for the institute such as applying for funding and working with other funders," he said. 

"There are also lot of infrastructure benefits in terms of practical things such as cheaper software," Muirhead added.

Other organisational members include the University of Cumbria, De Montfort University in Leicester, Surrey and Hertfordshire County Councils, and the National Youth Agency.