Evidence to influence policy and law reform, aiming to improve youth work provision and promote the rights and well-being of young people in Scotland.
The research was conducted by the Policy Clinic, as part of the Open Justice Centre at the Open University Law School, tasked with investigating Scotland’s current youth work provision and exploring the potential impact of legislating for youth work access.
Youth work has shown to positively impact young people’s confidence, academic achievement, mental health, and rights promotion. With the goal of rooting children and young people’s rights in the community, YouthLink Scotland sought to understand if legislation could ensure universal access to quality youth work.
Surveys distributed to youth work organisations across Scotland aimed to capture insights into local, regional, and national youth work policies and strategies. Despite a low response rate, the consistency of responses alongside interviews conducted with youth work leaders, suggests representativeness.
The interviews provided valuable insights into youth work issues. Additionally, the study examined global best practices in youth work from Ireland, England, Germany, and Sweden to assess their applicability in Scotland.
The research, overseen by experienced Open University tutors, involved seven final-year law students in the Policy Clinic. Its purpose was to provide evidence to influence policy and law reform, aiming to improve youth work provision and promote the rights and well-being of young people in Scotland.