Sixty five per cent of respondents worked with youth workers, while 19 per cent had done so in the past. More than half of those who had not established partnerships with youth workers planned to do so in the future.
Commenting on the survey, Fiona Blacke, NYA’s Chief Executive, said, ‘Where youth work in schools is happening, it is strongly supported and the qualities youth workers bring to the pupil experience are recognised by the school and local authority. The challenge is to replicate these successes among the thousands of schools where there is no collaboration.’
Reported benefits of having youth workers in schools included improved behaviour among young people, an increased engagement with education, and better provision for young people who need support - issues that will rise in importance when the school leaving age is raised to 17 later this year and to 18 in 2015. Much youth work in schools is targeted at ‘troubled’ young people, but some schools ask youth workers to provide general support which all pupils can access if they want to. Of those teachers who haven’t formed partnerships with youth workers, more than 80 per cent cite lack of finances and a lack of understanding of youth work as reasons.
