1. A Voice for Young People: Identifying the need for online information, advice and guidance through dialogue Thursday 18th March
2. Today’s presentations: Young People’s Access to AdviceJames Kenrick, Advice Services Manager, Youth Access A voice for young people: Identifying the need for online information, advice and guidance through dialogue Sarah McCoy MSc, Research Manager, YouthNet YouthNet’s Life Support Appeal Julie Reynolds, Head of Appeal Development, YouthNet 4. Question & Answer session Led by Fiona Dawe OBE, YouthNet
4. Each month, TheSite.org helps over 500,000 people access vital: Information… Support… Advice… ...via no-nonsense …from peers via …from experts via fact sheets discussion boards askTheSite
5. Young People’s Access to Advice on Social Welfare Issues James Kenrick Advice Services Development Manager Youth Access YouthNet Seminar, 18/03/10
6. Youth Access The national membership association for young people’s information, advice, counselling and support services (YIACS) Over 200 members throughout UK National policy focus for sector Set standards and promote best practice Provide training, support, consultancy, resources Develop the evidence-base
7. Our Research Topics: advice needs, access, outcomes, impact, workforce, impact of recession etc. Scope: social welfare advice; ages 13-25; all modes of delivery Methods: literature reviews; focus groups; interviews with agencies; analysis of data from Civil & Social Justice Survey
8.
9. fail to obtain advice in relation to at least 1.3 million problemsMany more get poor advice The cost to individuals and the public purse* = c. £1 billion a year *as a result of loss of employment, physical and stress-related illness and violent behaviour resulting from the stress of problems Sources: Research by YA with LSRC based on 2006-08 CSJS data; Estimate by JustRights campaign based on Ministry of Justice figures
10. YP’s Advice Needs Needs change with age Prone to multiple & severe problems Problems cluster around disadvantaged YP Close inter-relationship between legal, personal, practical & emotional issues Need for holistic age-appropriate services Big increase in demand due to recession
21. Barriers to Access Young people’s problem-solving ability -awareness of rights & services, communication skills, confidence & persistence, psychological barriers etc. Characteristics of ‘mainstream’ adult advice services, e.g. CABx –lack of focus on meeting YP’s specific needs, skills/attitudes/knowledge gaps Skills of youth professionals –lack ability to spot problems/limits of competence, advice & advocacy skills Policy & planning failures –youth policy too careers-focussed; advice policy adult-focussed; lack of joining up; recession planning
22. Recommendations A joined-up Government strategy for planning & funding youth advice – DCSF, MoJ, CLG, DH, DWP A national strategy to develop YP’s ‘legal capability’ / problem-solving skills Joined-up local planning & commissioning – Integrated Youth Support, Advice Services, Housing, PCTs, JobCentre Plus Review balance of funding: careers IAG vs rights-based advice services remote vs face to face services independent vs statutory services Develop competence of youth workforce to provide good advice – new qualification?
23. Recent Reports The Advice Needs of Young People – The Evidence (2009) Young People’s Access to Advice – The Evidence (2009) With Rights In Mind (2010) – re mental health/advice The Impact of the Recession (2009) The Youth Advice Workforce: Now & In The Future (2009) Rights within Reach (2009) – re outreach advice (All available at www.youthaccess.org.uk/publications) Forthcoming titles in 2010: Under Strain – re impact of recession, funding & policy The Outcomes of Youth Advice Work
24. A VOICE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE: Identifying the need for online information, advice and guidance through dialogue Sarah McCoy Research Manager
43. Struggled to find adequate support and feared for others who might have less determination and ambition
44. Animated and opinionated when discussing the internet“For me, I just think that at school, when I finished my A-levels, it was really concentrated on people going to university. And I didn’t want to go to university, so there wasn’t much to do with that. It just seemed to me, everyone was going to university – they kind of forgot the people who wanted to work instead.” (Diana, 18)
49. Eager to use their own experiences to help others“I ended up on heroin. I was a sex worker to feed my addiction. But it’s only been, like, since being in recovery, that I’ve been clean. Just over 12 months. And I want to use my experiences to help other people. And I’d love to work in the care system, but I’ve got a criminal record. And it’d be like, I want to work with homeless people, street workers, vulnerable women and stuff. And I know I can do that, but with a criminal record I couldn’t be with kids or anything like that. It’s only if you’re drink or drug related stuff. But I’ve been in prison and stuff. But I want to use my experiences to help other kids..” (Carla, 24)
50.
51. The group struggled to think of times they had needed support and focused on career- related decisions
53. The young people felt their lifestyles were very different to those of their heterosexual counterparts and this justified dedicated support services
54. Experiences in rural locations may differ“My problem was that when it was time to go to college, I still had no idea what I wanted to do. So I just went and did a random course and quit. But back a year later, I did exactly the same thing.” (Karen, 20)
55.
56. There were experiences of a wide range of issues – the recession mentioned for the first time
58. It was felt there was a lack of support for people their age and that young people in rural locations are somewhat isolated“There’s quite a few family problems on my Dad’s side. As in, there was a couple of deaths in the family in quite close proximity. And then the recession came, and my parents were struggling for money. So they had to cut back on quite a lot of stuff that I was used to. ” (Michael, 16)
59.
60. Focused on career-related issues, but had experience of family conflict, crime, homelessness and drugs
61. The young women did not mention their ethnicity before prompting, implying they did not see their background as having a significant impact on their lives
62. It was felt that ethnic minorities are underrepresented online and that there should be more positive role models for young people“Basically, I had a boyfriend who wanted me to hold illegal stuff in my house – things that were stolen. And in a way, I felt I owed my boyfriend a favour. But I didn’t want to do it, because I didn’t want to get my mum in trouble. And I didn’t know what to do, because I was stuck in between.” (Aesha, 16)
63.
64. All but one of those over 16 had dropped out of education without clear plans
66. Money (or lack of it) was a top-of-mind issue for all, and the impact of the recession had been acutely felt
67. There was a lack of enthusiasm for leaving Scotland or their local area
68. The young people felt UK services were target at England and felt neglected“It’s gradual, and then a big dip with the recession. But also, you hear about people who are leaving university and then not getting jobs anyway. The people I knew who were going to university and thinking, “Oh yeah, I’ll definitely get a job when I’ve finished”, even they’re not getting anything. So why were they even studying?” (Simon, 18)
71. Most felt that finding work is about ‘who you know not what you know’ and were sceptical about education
72. Most would return to education if they could but felt they lack the resources and support needed to do so“You don’t know where your next job’s from at the minute, you’ve just got to take what you can get. You’re losing [contracts] all the time. At the minute, you’re working for next to nothing, to try and undercut the other person, because they’re all doing the same. The companies, obviously, they can get credit. But if you can’t get the credit because of things that happened, there’s no way that you can do it.” (Craig, 25)
73.
74. The main concern for most was financial and there were several stories of debt and ‘money-struggles’
75. When pregnancy was discovered, speaking to family and friends was considered difficult and ‘embarrassing’
76. The young people felt patronised by doctors, hospitals and midwives
77. They made good use of the internet for child-related information“Like, really horrible. Like… I don’t know, it’s just nasty… Like, you’re… How can I put it? Because of your age, you’re just treated really different? And, like you can’t cope on your own and stuff. It’s really horrible.” (Rosie, 17)
101. Non-judgemental The internet for information, advice and guidance Embarrassing topics Choice “And a lot of the time the internet has a broader perspective.” “The internet doesn’t judge you, you know? You can go and look at whatever you want…they don’t say ‘why are you looking at this?’” “It’s always private and confidential. It never like, unless it – you look at it, and it’s just there, isn’t it, for you to take in. And no one knows you’re looking at it. No one knows what your problem is. ” “Just as an example, you wouldn’t want to go to your mum and say, oh, what’s testicular cancer, because you might be embarrassed. And on the internet, you can just go on and find out anything. It can be absolutely anything – maybe something you wouldn’t even want to talk to your friends about.” “Because the internet’s got everything, hasn’t it?” Anonymity
110. Regular updates“I think it’s got to have a search bar at the top, for keywords. Because there can be so much information on a website, so you can just type in a key word at the top and it’ll take you straight to that article.”
111.
112. Young people use a wide range of support-sources, none of which are sufficient in isolation
113. The internet plays a significant role in the lives of young people and has the potential to bridge gaps in existing support and bring together the qualities found in other services
114.
115. TheSite has helped me in so many ways that any opportunity to reach out to more young people is always going to be worthwhile. It's not simply that it helps people with short term problems - concerns about career or exam worries - it provides long term support and does so in a welcoming and supportive community environment To continue to be an up-to-the-minute and accurate service to young people, who are increasingly using the internet as their first port of call for advice and guidance. To promote and encourage young people to use TheSite to get information they need but may not be able to ask for in the real world. Young people need a place where they can find support and information
116. Panel Q & A James Kenrick, Advice Services Manager, Youth Access Sarah McCoy, Research Manager, YouthNet Julie Reynolds, Head of Appeal Development, YouthNet Jim Valentine, Communities Manager, YouthNet
Editor's Notes
ALICIA
Read statsface a wide range of problems. Problems often relatedYN is uniquely placed to help through………Sarah
