Social exclusion: Government policy is hampering youth work

Government social exclusion policy is stopping youth work from achieving its full potential, according to a two-year research project to be published by the NYA in April

Youth Work: Voices of Practice, carried out by Durham University and youth organisation Weston Spirit, found that when youth workers had to work with young people referred from other agencies such as schools and youth offending teams, they were forced into a policing role and were unable to gain young people's trust. Youth workers were more effective in more mixed groups. "Youth work is not the most appropriate approach for all groups of young people," states the report.

The researchers assert that youth workers must develop their own language to argue the effectiveness of generic youth work. The report says effective youth work lies in informal, everyday encounters and small steps, not recordable outcomes.

Jean Spence, principal researcher and lecturer in community and youth work at Durham University, said: "Youth work often works on the margins of other professions such as crime, antisocial behaviour or health. Youth workers are not resistant to government policy but it is the terms of reference that are a problem." She added that the informal, reactive nature of youth work, where youth workers pick up young people on the margins of other services because they are open and available, "is really valuable but is not being recognised".

The research used focus groups, recorded discussions and interviews with youth workers and young people, and studies by researchers. Twenty-six young people and 27 youth workers took part between February 2005 and July 2006.

Young people valued youth work for a number of reasons, including the voluntary nature of their engagement. But some felt that youth workers had too much paperwork. Funded by the Big Lottery Fund, the report will be published by The National Youth Agency in April.