At the start of the year we were delighted to be able to take part in a research opportunity with LAYC and Youthlink Scotland to help demonstrate the positive impact youth work can have on the lives of young people. Whilst we at CY know all too well the great things that youth work can do, it can at times be hugely under valued, under funded and forgotten about! So we are always really keen to be involved in opportunities that shout about how fantastic youth work is.

This Edinburgh based research followed on from the previous national research, published in 2018 – The Impact of Community Based Youth Work in Scotland – and focused on gathering information directly from young people to give them a voice.

The research gathered stories from 96 young people across Edinburgh and asked what they thought was the most significant change that had occurred for them since their involvement in youth work services. All those that took part were amazing and spoke so openly and honestly. It was such a great reminder of the power of youth work.

Some headlines from the research;

92% of young people said youth work helped them develop skills

80% of young people said youth work helped improve their confidence

71% of young people said youth work helped them maintain positive and meaningful relationships.

The final report features some of the stories and quotes from young people and these are the most compelling – there is nothing more powerful than hearing directly from a young person in their own words.

The finished report is definitely worth a read, so if you have some spare time, grab a cuppa and see just how impactful youth work can be. Please also feel free to share the report and help give youthwork the value it deserves.

The Impact of Community Based Youth Work in Edinburgh