NYA Update: Businesses support young people's services in two-thirds of authorities
Friday, January 20, 2012
A major study conducted by the National Youth Agency, as part of its Routes to Success programme of work with the Local Government Association, has identified that businesses are playing a vital role in supporting young people's services in two-thirds of local authorities and that this role is valued by 95 per cent of local authorities.
The "Mapping the Involvement of Businesses in Supporting Services for Young People in Out of School Settings" project was undertaken by the National Youth Agency in autumn 2011 and aimed to capture the many ways in which businesses are supporting young people.
A total of 69 councils undertook an online survey and 20 councils, businesses and other organisations took part in semi-structured interviews. Additional short case studies from the business sector were also provided by a business group set up by children’s minister Tim Loughton.
Findings identified that with effective business engagement and support for young people’s services, young people can develop skills for employment and relationships can be built between potential employers and employees, bringing money into public and third sector service delivery and developing a bigger, better pool of potential workforce for business.
Alex Stutz, NYA’s head of policy, said: "Through our close working relationship with many local authorities we had anecdotal evidence of businesses supporting young people’s services.
"This report uncovered the depth to which businesses support young people’s services across the country, and has provided sound evidence of the tremendous impact and opportunities financial and skilled support provides to young people’s futures and local economies."
The NYA is making the research available to all authorities through its website and the Supporting Services for Young People Community of Practice, to ensure local authorities can learn from one another’s experiences and develop sustainable relationships with the business community, to benefit young people.
