Youth work and prevention
Think tank: Institute for Government
Author(s): Stuart Hoddinott; Nick Davies
October 30, 2024
This report from UK think tank the Institute for Government recommends a range of steps that government can take to make youth work more accessible and sustainable.
Youth work is proven to have positive outcomes for young people in the short term – including improved mental health, educational attainment, and reduced crime and antisocial behaviour. And young people who engage in youth work become happier, healthier, and wealthier adults than those who do not.
But despite being an effective preventative service, government funding for youth work has reduced dramatically (by at least 60%) since 2010.
The increasing scale and severity of young people’s needs requires a major response from national and local government.
