The National Youth Sector Census and why it is vital to participate

This is the first time such an ambitious project has been attempted, and its success is crucial. The census will look to inform the Comprehensive Spending Review happening later this year, a critical step to securing the future health of the sector. The data will help us better understand what is needed, not just in terms of finances but also in practical resources, training and safeguarding.

Until 2009/10, NYA undertook annual “audits” of local youth services, which produced a national data set and reports on the health and state of youth work across England through this. These were scrapped due to austerity in public sector spending. A decade on, there remains a significant gap in the baseline knowledge available about the youth sector. Over that time there has been a seismic shift with the loss of much statutory provision and funding for open-access services, and a commensurate decline in numbers of qualified youth workers.