The report, by Youth Access, the membership organisation for young people's advice services, calls for a specialist qualification for advice workers and more clearly defined roles and progression routes. It argues that youth workers, personal advisers and other youth professionals are ill-equipped to provide young people with competent advice on issues such as benefits, housing, education and employment rights.
Existing youth work and information, advice and guidance (IAG) qualifications are not fit for purpose, the report claims.
Barbara Rayment, director of Youth Access, said advice services are "deficient". She expressed concern that rising unemployment and poor IAG is leaving vulnerable young people at risk of social exclusion. Rayment said: "There needs to be better recognition of young people's advice needs and the workforce needs specialist training. Why bother having a workforce if it doesn't meet young people's needs?"
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