Youth work wins backing for role in schools

More than 90 per cent of the 550 people working in schools, local government and voluntary services that responded to a National Youth Agency (NYA) online survey, back the role of youth work in schools.

Nearly two thirds of respondents currently work in a school that partners with youth workers, while of those who did not, 80 per cent said this was because they lack understanding about youth work. A further 86 per cent said financial constraints are a barrier.

One academy head teacher commented on the survey that their school employed youth workers to support students at risk of exclusion.

“The benefits have been immense – a better educational experience for the students and a more positive impact on the school too,” said the head teacher.
 
A youth work manager commented that teachers need to have a better understanding of youth work.
 
“It’s crucial to get the head teacher to really understand youth work and what it can do for the school and the students,” the manager said.

“We’ve used youth work to help meet some of the school’s targets and this has helped the teaching staff to see the positives too.”

Other respondents said youth workers could help support older students’ education when the participation age rises to 17 this year and to 18 in 2015.

NYA’s chief executive Fiona Blacke said the results gave weight to the argument for schools to make greater use of youth workers.

“The response to our survey indicates that where youth work in schools is happening, it is strongly supported and the qualities youth workers bring to the pupil experience are recognised by the school and local authority,” said Blacke.

“Whilst the findings of this survey indicate that those involved in youth work in education are strong advocates for it, there is still work to be done to help education providers understand the role of youth work and to see it as complementing formal education – in order to get the best outcomes possible for young people."