Youth work: resources
RESEARCH PROJECT ON THE IMPACT OF THE CORONA PANDEMIC ON YOUTH WORK IN EUROPE (RAY-COR)
RAY Network (2021)
The report presents key findings from the multilingual survey on main effects on youth work, estimating impact on current youth work, structural and budgetary impact on youth work, impact on youth work teams, as well as response of (European) youth work, support of (European) youth work and support of young people.
European Digital Youth Work and the Covid-19 pandemic, What’s next?
SALTO. Participation and Information Dr Pawluczuk, A. (2021)
Info library providing summary of recommendations for digital youth work in post covid times
Towards a better understanding of COVID-19 impact on
young people and on the youth sector in Eastern Europe and South Caucasus
EU-Council of Europe youth partnership, Pantea, M.C, Makharadze, T. (2021)
This study was initiated as part of the monitoring process of the EU-Council of Europe Youth Partnership on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on young people and the youth sector in Europe. It aims to analyse the implications of the pandemic on the young people and the youth sector in the six countries of the Eastern Partnership cooperation, including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine to map the main responses, outline the policy gaps and to propose recommendations towards a post-COVID recovery. To avoid any confusion on the countries covered, the study will refer to Eastern Europe and South Caucasus region.
The emerging digital divides: Covid-19 and European youth work
UNITED NATIONS UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE IN MACAU, Dr Pawluczuk, A. (2022)
This study provides a glimpse into the situation and cannot be used as representative of the whole of the European youth sector. The limitations include a small sample size and data collected only during the first year of the pandemic. In 2020, many youth organisations began learning how to shift their activities into online spaces. The results presented in this report offer insights into youth workers' experiences of that particular period.The problem of the digital divide in youth work provides a way to contextualise existing digital inequalities and start conversations about how to dig deeper into possible solutions. The distinction between digitally excluded and digitally included youth workers does not aim simply to label, categorise, or divide. Youth workers’ digital competences, confidence, and motivations shift and evolve - and so does digital transformation. The term digital divide is used in this report as a metaphor to explore these complex dynamics. In no way does one's digital inclusion (or lack thereof) reflect one’s youth work expertise and this study should not be interpreted on this basis. Regardless of the skill level of digital engagement, all youth workers participating in this study showed incredible amounts of commitment, passion, and resilience to their work at the time of the crisis.
At the Threshold: youth work through the COVID-19 pandemic
Peace4Youth
The research was carried out with youth workers delivering youth programmes throughout the COVID-19 global pandemic. Respondents were employed as youth workers in the Peace IV Children & Young People’s programme, Peace4Youth. The Peace4Youth programme is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), and supported by the Department for Children, Equality, Disability, Inclusion and Youth (RoI) and the Department for the Economy (Northen Ireland). The research presents the experience of youth workers transitioning from the standard programme to new online activities in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Impact of LGBT Youth Scotland’s Digital Youth Work on Young People
LGBT Youth Scotland and YouthLink Scotland
This report details the findings of a qualitative research study on LGBT Youth Scotland’s digital youth work. The study explored the impact of digital youth work on young people who participated during the coronavirus lockdown from March to July 2020. Qualitative analysis of the stories revealed the following impact of digital youth work on young people: reduced isolation, improved wellbeing, personal growth, increased resilience.
Youth Work: Closing the poverty-related attainment gap during the pandemic
YouthLink Scotland
This report explores how youth work responded to the needs of young people during the COVID-19 pandemic. It considers where this can help understand how best to mitigate the longer term impacts and accelerate progress towards closing the poverty-related attainment gap.
What have countries done tosupport young people in the COVID-19 crisis?
OECD
The policy brief provides an overview of the measures that countries have put in place to avoid a long-lasting negative impact on the employment prospects and aspirations of young people.
Youth people and the rural youth services
National Youth Agency - NYA (UK)
The report shows that in UK, rural areas that may experience a slower revival from Covid-19, with the capacity of youth services at its lowest base of support for a decade. There is little or no co-ordinated provision in many rural areas to tackle inequalities and put young people at the heart of Covid-recovery.
The impact of Covid-19 on England’s youth organisations
UK Youth
The report presents the financial impact of Covid-19 on youth organisations in England. The report finds that the pandemic is having a substantial, negative impact on young people, particularly regarding their wellbeing and mental health. In turn, youth organisations are seeing an increase in demand for their services. Youth organisations are simply unable to meet the substantial demand for their services, which has been exacerbated by the pandemic. This is due to COVID-19 restrictions and the financial implications of the pandemic including reduced income, increased costs as youth organisations strive to adapt their services, and efforts to reduce expenditure leading to a loss in workforce.
Study on Youth work in the EU
European Commission
This study constitutes the second European-wide comparison on youth work published by the European Commission. This study inevitably covers the needs which have emerged since the COVID-19pandemic. It also analyses longer-term needs which are expressed independently of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Guidance for Local Authorities on Providing Youth Services
National Youth Agency - NYA (UK)
Youth workers play an important role in supporting young people and youth services provide an essential service. The report summarises recommendations for local authorities on providing these services. This guidance is published by National Youth Agency (NYA), as the professional, statutory and regulatory body (PSRB) for youth work and youth services in England, to provide greater clarity and consistency for the understanding of local authorities’ statutory duty to secure and support access to quality local youth services. Among recommendations, the report underlines that a priority for all local authorities should be to strengthen and maintain youth services, where it is safe to do so within government guidelines, through the pandemic.
Inside Out. Young People's Health and Wellbeing. A Response to COVID-19
National Youth Agency - NYA (UK)
This paper builds on the insights from the ‘Out of Sight?’ research report, on the known and emerging needs of young people through COVID-19. The paper explores. he impact of the pandemic on young people’s health and the role of young people’s services in support of vulnerable young people, in particular.
Education and youth in post-COVID-19 Europe – crisis effects and policy recommendations
European Parliament
The pandemic has had a range of implications and consequences for youth work and non- formal learning in Europe presenting significant threats to the predominant methodologies of youth work that involve physical proximity, group work and sometimes transnational travel. The emergence of “digital youth work” over the past decade has enabled youth work to accelerate, extend and diversify their activities. The crisis also revealed the key persisting challenges in the youth work sector (e.g., in terms of recognition, strategy, outreach, funding and available tools) that need to be tackled for it to be able to contribute to re-imagining European education and youth spaces.
Impact of Covid-19 on the voluntary youth work sector in Wales
CWVYS
The voluntary youth sector in Wales has responded and risen to the challenge of Covid-19 swiftly and admirably, less than 8% of Members surveyed reported no operational change. While it is clear the sector has serious concerns about the future post lockdown, many have quickly adapted their services, repurposed resources and continued to support the communities they work within. The respot is based on a survey of CWVYS members. CWVYS is the representative body for the voluntary youth sector in Wales.
Literature review on the impact of the corona pandemic on youth work in Europe - in the European Youth Programmes and beyond
RAY Network
RAY ran a first initial survey on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on youth work in Europe in June/July 2020. The survey had 938 responses from youth workers and youth leaders and young people involved in youth work.
Youth work and the corona pandemic in Europe. Policy brief
RAY Network
This policy brief presents key findings from the re- search project on the impact of the corona pandem- ic on youth work in Europe (RAY-COR).
Take the Temperature: A national youth trends report understanding the impact of coronavirus on young people in the UK
Beatfreeks
Take the Temperature is a report about the broad impact of coronavirus and its aftershocks on young people across the UK. It is based on a survey with 1535 young people respondents, 11 young ‘Isolation Diaries', and several industry professionals interviews.
Survey on the impact of the corona pandemic on youth work in Europe - in the European Youth Programmes and beyond
RAY Network
RAY ran a first initial survey on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on youth work in Europe in June/July 2020. The survey had 938 responses from youth workers and youth leaders and young people involved in youth work
A Review of the Youth Work Sector Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic
National Youth Council of Ireland
This research conducted by the Nationl Youth Council of Ireland found thousands of young people missed out on the supports they would normally receive from local youth services as a result of Covid-19. If also shows that young people who were already deemed ‘most at risk’ became the most disconnected from youth services and supports as a result of Covid-19.
Life in Lockdown 2020: Consultation with Young People (12-17 years) in Dublin City on the Impact of Covid-19
Dublin City North and South Children and Young People's Services Committees (CYPSCs)
This research details the findings of a consultation with young people (12-17 years) in Dublin City on the impact of Covid-19 on their lives. It explores how Covid-19 has impacted on young people's participation in extra-curricular activies such as youth work and highlights the benefits of continued participation in youth work activites for young people.
European Digital Youth Work and the Covid-19 pandemic: What’s next?
SALTO Participation and Information Resource Centre
In recent months, digital tools such as Zoom, TikTok, Instagram or Snapchat have become youth workers’ ‘bread and butter’. All across Europe (and beyond) youth workers utilised available digital tools and skills to keep in touch with young people, to make them feel safe, valued and connected to their communities. Through digital youth work – a practice of informal education where digital technologies are used or/and analysed – many youth workers have taken crucial roles of moderators between young people, society, digital technologies – and the COVID-19 reality.
The COVID-19 Crisis. Impact on Youth Work and Young People. A survey of Scotland’s Youth Work Sector Leaders
YouthLink Scotland
This study conducted by YouthLink Scotland surveyed Youth Work Sector Leaders on the impact of Covid-19 and their immediate response to the pandemic. The respondents to the survey represented youth work organisations and services across the country, both voluntary and statutory. The key issues identified were access to immediate funding, digital barriers, mental health and cuts to services. The study also found 92% of youth work leaders were endeavouring to offer online services of some kind.
The impact of Covid-19 on young people and the youth sector
UK Youth
This study was conducted by UK Youth, a national charity in the UK. The study is based on a survey conducted in April 2020 with 252 respondents, representing 235 organisations. The study examines the impact of Covid-19 on the youth sector and how it can adapt and innovate to meet the needs of young people.
Vulnerable Young People: covid-19 Response
National Youth Agency (UK)
Study analysing the condition of vulnerable youth with emerging needs triggered or caused by COVID-19, including an assessment of the role of youth work in the United Kingdom and policy recommendation for an exit strategy.
