Introduction
This page outlines and provide guidance on outcomes and measurement frameworks used to report on Department of Education funded youth work. The frameworks used are proportionately based on the type of youth work delivered.
Outlined below is information regarding each framework, its application dependent on delivery and additional downloadable guidance material.
Engagement Framework
The Engagement Framework Explained
The Engagement Framework is an outworking of the Department of Education’s Priorities for Youth policy, which emphasised the need for new and proportionate ways to demonstrate outcomes of youth work. It’s development has been underpinned by an extended process of research, dialogue, consultation and piloting.
Categories of Engagement
The Engagement Framework describes four categories of engagement in youth work, from ‘Contact’ to ‘Maximising Potential’. Looking back over the past year, you are asked to assign each young person you work with to the most appropriate category, based on their engagement in your youth group/unit/project. It is important to note that there is no right or wrong response, only your considered judgement based on your knowledge and first-hand experience of the young people you work with.
Indicators of Engagement
The indicators of engagement are set out under three headings:
- Intensity and commitment of engagement;
- Distance travelled for children and young people; and
- Children and young people’s influence in decision making.
You can choose to use one of the sets of indicators to help you assign each child or young person to a category of engagement. Or, just as each child or young person is different and will be engaging differently in your club, unit or project, you can move between the sets of indicators in order to assign young people to the most appropriate category of engagement.
When is the Framework Used
The Engagement Framework is used to report on the universal delivery of youth work through centre based youth provision and through Generic/Non-Targeted Funding.
This information is reported on annually and does not influence funding decisions, but is used to demonstrate the levels of engagement of children and young people accessing youth services, funded by the Department of Education
Indicators of Engagement
Categories of Engagement
Intensity and commitment of engagement
Distance travelled for children and young people
Children and young people’s influence in decision making
Contact
- Attends, e.g. to meet friends and takes part in social, creative, recreational or sport activity
- Enhanced personal capabilities
- Improved health and wellbeing
- Positive relationships with others
- Makes personal decisions on participation in activities designed by others
Engagement
- Engages in, short term, group programmes
- Makes new relationships
- Enhanced personal capabilities
- Improved health and wellbeing
- Developed thinking, life &/or work skills
- Positive relationships with others
- Contributes to decision making with others relating to a specific programme or activity
Maximising Potential
- Participates in the design and/or delivery of programmes or activities for self and others, including evaluation
- Acts in a leadership role
- Involved in the unit/club/project to their maximum ability
- Enhanced Personal capabilities
- Improved health and wellbeing
- Developed thinking, life &/or work skills
- Positive relationships with others
- Increased participation
- Active citizenship
- Positively influences others, advocates on behalf of others
- Takes on a representative role within and/or beyond the your club, unit or project e.g. in governance arrangements or as part of a local or regional youth council or forum
Active Participation
- Participates in planned, long term, group work programme with youth work outcomes
- Enhanced personal capabilities
- Improved health and well-being
- Developed thinking, life &/or work skills
- Positive relationships with others
- Increased participation
- Actively involved in assessing needs, decision making, planning and problem solving either around a single activity or within the club, unit or project generally
Youth Work Outcomes Framework
Youth Work Outcomes Framework Explained
The Youth Work Outcomes Framework were developed in 2015 through a cross sectoral approach as outlined in the Department for Educations Priorities for Youth Policy under action 4.6.4
“EA [ESA] in consultation with sectoral stakeholders, will design a framework of expected outcomes for all type of provision, proportionate to the support provided.”
These are presented in the format of six capability-based outcomes, and include measurable indicators relating to each outcome. The six outcomes reflect the central concern of youth work, ie. the personal and social development of young people, and in this way the framework is directly compatible with ‘A Model of Effective Practice’.
Outcome Categories
The outcomes are presented in two categories
- Individual outcomes, reflecting personal development as a result of youth work
- Group/community/society outcomes, reflecting social development as a result of youth
It is often inherent given the group work approaches of youth that outcomes are achieved in both these categories
Outcome Indicators
Each outcome outlined below has associated indicators. These indicators are used to inform baseline and exit evaluations as part of the programme with children and young people to measure impact.f
When is the Framework Used
The Youth Work Outcomes Framework is used to report on targeted youth work delivery. This relates to programmes delivered as part of area based and centre based youth provision at a regional or local level.
This information is reported on quarterly as part of each agreed targeted programme or project as set out in the annual action plan.
Individual Outcomes
Group/Community/Society Outcomes
Enhanced Personal Capabilities
Indicators:
- Increased satisfaction with life
- Greater awareness of health issues (sexual/phyiscal)
- Improved ability to make health choices (reduction in risk-taking behaviours / reduced substance misuse)
Improved Relationships with Others
Indicators:
- Improved ability to work with others (teamwork)
- Positive peer relationships
- Improved relationships with adults
- Positive engagement with others from diverse backgrounds
- Greater respect for difference
Improved Health and Wellbeing
Indicators:
- Greater self-awareness
- Increased confidence and self-esteem
- Empathy
- Resilience
- Managing feelings
Increased Participative Action
Indicators:
- Increased satisfaction with life
- Greater awareness of health issues (sexual/physical)
- Improved ability to make health choices (reduction in risk-taking behaviours / reduced substance misuse)
Development of Thinking Skills, Life Skills and Work Skills
Indicators:
- Decision-making
- Planning and problem solving
- Leadership and communication
- Creativity
Active Citizenship
Indicators:
- Increased satisfaction with life
- Greater awareness of health issues (sexual/physical)
- Improved ability to make health choices (reduction in risk-taking behaviours / reduced substance misuse)
Outreach/Detached Engagement Framework
Outreach/Detached Engagment Framework Explained
The Engagement Framework was launched in January 2017. It describes four categories of engagement in youth work, from ‘Contact’ to ‘Maximising Potential’ as way of monitoring the level of engagement by children and young people through universal youth work provided by centre based youth provision and those funded under Generic/Non-Targeted Funding.
During the first year of its use it was identified that in addition to this engagement framework a separate framework would be required to meet the needs of outreach** and detached* youth work delivery.
Reporting on Outreach/Detached Youth Work
The Outreach/Detached Engagement Framework set out below has been developed for use in recording the engagement of children and young people through detached and outreach youth work activities, and primarily those not registered as a member of youth provision and, therefore, unable to be assigned to a category within the established Engagement Framework.
Categories of Engagement
The Outreach/Detached Engagement Framework describes three categories of engagement: ‘In Conversation’, ‘Developing Contact’ and ‘Referral’. These categories relate solely to the outreach and detached context and provide the primary tool to assign each child or young person you work with through outreach and detached youth work to their most appropriate category based on their engagement over the past year or the delivery of the project.
Indicators of Engagement
The indicators of engagement are set out under three headings:
- Intensity and commitment of engagement,
- Distance travelled for children and young people, and
- Children and young people’s influence on decision making.
When is the Framework Used
The Outreach/Detached Engagement Framework is used to report on programmes that require the delivery of outreach and/or detached youth work as part of the delivery plan.
This information is reported on quarterly and/or annually as part of each agreed programme or project as set out in the action plan.
Definition of Outreach and Detached
*Detached Youth Work is a model of youth work practice, targeted at vulnerable young people, which takes place on young people’s own territory (such as streets, cafes, parks, and pubs) and at times that are appropriate to them on their terms. It is characterised by purposeful interaction between youth worker and young people.
**Outreach Youth Work can and does generally take place on young people’s own territory; although it can also include work in existing youth facilities, educational institutions, and commercial settings. It is characterised by purposeful interaction between youth worker and young people and involves contact, information giving and the invitation to join an existing or proposed youth programmes and other services based on the assessed needs of the young people.
Indicators of Engagement
Categories of Engagement
Intensity and commitment of engagement
Distance travelled for children and young people
Children and young people’s influence in decision making
In Conversation
- Engages in purposeful conversations with outreach/detached youth worker.
- Typically 1-3 contact meetings within the outreach/detached setting.
- Enhanced personal capabilities
- Makes personal decisions on participation in purposeful conversations with the outreach/detached youth worker.
Developing Contact
- Engages in, short term, personal and social development activities within the outreach/detached setting.
- Typically 4 or more contact meetings/sessions within the detached setting or participation on a project within the outreach setting.
- Enhanced personal capabilities
- Improved health and wellbeing
- Makes personal decisions to participate in short-term outreach and detached activities based on relationship building and needs assessment.
Referral
- Needs assessment based on contact within the outreach/detached setting.
- Enhanced personal capabilities
- Improved health and wellbeing
- Makes personal decisions to participate in referral activities based on needs assessment.
