I was very sad to hear about the death of Sue Atkins, who was a lifelong advocate for young people and the youth work sector. On behalf of the National Youth Agency trustees and staff, I would like to offer our heartfelt condolences and thoughts to her family, and to the many colleagues who worked with her over the years.   Sue was a member of the NYA’s Education and Training Standards (ETS) committee since April 2009, bringing her forthright and young person-centred views to the business of setting the standards of Youth Work qualifications for England. She was never afraid to ..read more

by Xyna Prasad, National Safeguarding and Risk Lead  Social Workers, Police and Health quite rightly carry a responsibility for children and young people at risk of harm. What has been less valued in recent years is the involvement of youth workers in developing effective safeguarding interventions to bring about better outcomes.   The publication of the revised Working Together to Safeguard Children guidance by the Department on Education, December 2023, was a pivotal moment in the elevation of the status of youth workers.  Youth workers now feature more prominently i ..read more

A new youth work Curriculum and toolkit for the Government of Jersey Youth Service was launched on 16 March 2024, to 115 youth practitioners from across the island. The new curriculum standardises youth work practice and provides measurable outcomes of young people being supported by youth work.  Youth work is delivered by a diverse range of organisations in Jersey including voluntary youth organisations and the State of Jersey Youth Service.  The NYA worked closely with youth workers and young people on the island to develop the bespoke Curriculum taking an appreciative enquiry app ..read more

Whilst recent headlines reveal that one in five young men who have heard of the self-proclaimed misogyny influencer, Andrew Tate, think favourably of him and that female pupils and teachers are reporting an increase in sexual abuse in the classroom, the sad truth is many young men are struggling with their mental health, feeling lonely and undervalued in their communities. It was no surprise then that our first online Youth Work Insight session, entitled Breaking Stereotypes: Navigating Misogyny with Young Men, brought together over 180 sector professionals to hear from expert ..read more

Over £90 million in Youth Investment Fund grants announced for 140 youth centres, which means nearly 20,000 more young people will benefit.   The first new build youth centre funded by the Youth Investment Fund opens its doors to young people in Chichester.    From Plymouth to Gateshead, the Youth Investment Fund is transforming young people’s opportunities to thrive and explore their passions at local youth centres. Youth Centres and young people will be celebrating a Youth Investment Fund grant today. Over £90 million in Youth Investment Fund grants announced today will tran ..read more

“The National Youth Agency supports the call upon government to reverse cuts to youth services at as part of the Don’t Stop Your Future campaign fronted by Idris Elba.  Our research report The social cost of youth work cuts: Preventing youth offending through youth work reveals a clear association between reduced funding for youth provision and an increase in some crime rates. Despite this, open access youth service expenditure has been disproportionately affected by austerity cuts.  The negative impact of youth centre closures is reinforced by a PhD study cited in the report whic ..read more

When Issa was around 11 years old he began feeling self-conscious and struggled to manage his emotions. Haqueq Siddique (Aki) manager at West Bowling Youth Initiative (WBYI) based in an inner-city ward of Bradford, met Issa at a local sports event around the same time:  “I was doing the register and noticed he was pushing a few kids around, because of his size.” said Aki.  Familiar with street cricket and encouraged by Aki, Issa joined the cricket club’s Under 13’s junior group, and with the support and tuition of the coach he quickly went from strength to strength.  WBYI i ..read more

Growing up Dennis always struggled with stomach problems and tiredness, but it wasn’t until he was 15 years of age and ‘things had got really, really, really bad’ that he was admitted to Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) where he was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease – a digestive disorder which can disrupt daily life.    A lifelong condition    Coming to terms with the reality of a lifelong condition was difficult for Dennis. “It was a relief to finally know what was going on. But when they said it was for life …I had thought I would grow out of it. It was a bit of a ..read more

  The chance to celebrate youth work via the Census is welcomed by Steph Dickinson, MD of Pie Factory Music, based in Ramsgate, East Kent.   Pie Factory Music provides youth work, music and creative arts projects, pastoral care and counselling for young people and helps them work with the wider community.  “We know what can be achieved when it’s properly funded,” Steph said. “And the Census is an ideal opportunity to illustrate what we do. We know that what we do has an impact – we’ve been going for just over 20 years and have supported over 50,000 young people down the yea ..read more

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