Scottish Youth Work Research Steering Group

This group has emerged to fulfil a need identified in the National Youth Work Strategy and to further momentum which was gathered through the publication of Universal Youth Work: A Critical Review of the Literature. 

The work of this group contributes to the National Youth Work Strategy and oversees the development of a national programme of youth work research, including the impact of universal youth work research.   

Aims   

The aims of the group are to identify and create opportunities:

• To critically examine the long-term impact of youth work on the lives and lifestyles of young people and the wider communities across Scotland. 
• To identify what young people learn from participating in youth work provision. 
• To gather data reflecting the broad outcomes of youth work as defined by young Scots. 

Membership 

• The Scottish Youth Work Research Steering Group is a collaboration between: 
• NHS Lothian (Dona Milne – chair) 
• YouthLink Scotland (the secretariat) 
• University of Edinburgh 
• University of St Andrews 
• University of the West of Scotland 
• University of Glasgow 
• University of Dundee 
• Scottish Government  
• LAYC 
• Youth Scotland 
• Public Health Scotland 
• Education Scotland 
• CLD Standards Council 
• Dumfries and Galloway Council 
• YMCA George Williams College

Future priorities 

The group works to identify any youth work research gaps, including emerging needs of the youth work sector and liaise with academic institutions and funders to explore opportunities for these needs to be met. 

To ensure the group are meeting the needs of the sector, they are seeking funding for a Priority Setting Partnership which involves a process of consultation with the youth work sector to set research questions, which will become the priority questions for the next five years.