Results of engagement with young people were not what senior managers and frontline workers had anticipated

Senior managers and frontline workers thought they had a good understanding of what young people needed in the scope area in one authority, so they were surprised when the results of engaging young people and desk research were not what they anticipated.

The challenge was to get common understanding of the needs of young people among senior managers, frontline workers and local communities.   

One hundred and eighty young people were asked about their needs using both quantitative and qualitative means. Youth workers used a standard script they helped devise to get this information. The data was analysed by geographic area and by the age of the young people. 

The results of the analysis clearly showed that the key issues were drugs and alcohol. This was a surprise to most senior managers and frontline workers. In addition to this, desk research also gave some surprising results around exclusion, with very high numbers of exclusions in one particular school. 

These two pieces of data meant that the critical questions within Decision Point 2 were very well informed and the scope of the work going forward was focused on real issues, not assumptions.

Comments
Although senior managers and frontline workers often believe they know the key issues, this needs to be verified by asking young people.

Further information
Relevant activities for this case study include engaging young people, which is part of the activities in the Discover stage.

Click for further case studies relevant to the Discover stage of the targeted youth support change process.