Getting beyond the usual suspects Social action for all young people A summary of views from organisations working with young people March 2015
@LondonYouth londonyouth.org
Introduction Many of us will remember times in our childhood where our parents or a teacher or neighbour suggested we got involved with something positive in our spare time. It could have been helping older people with their shopping, clearing up a derelict space or something more imaginative like planting a community garden. We might have resented it a little bit – the TV was a temptation and just hanging out with friends was always fun – but I remember when I did take the step of getting involved there was a great feeling of satisfaction from being challenged, working in a team and getting out of my comfort zone. Looking back, I know those experiences made me enjoy my teenage years – and genuinely made me stronger, more appreciative of the challenges others face and better able to get over the obstacles that I myself came up against later in life. That’s why so many of us who work with young people are passionate that everyone should get the same kind of support, encouragement and opportunities. Sadly, for many young people, they don’t have those chances. The opportunities may simply not exist in certain communities. Or worse, they may exist but no one has thought to encourage some young people – perhaps those with disabilities, limited access to information, or whose families don’t speak English particularly well – to get involved.
This short report therefore contains the views of the wide range of organisations who came together and who share the same ambition: to ensure that social action is genuinely something that all young people can benefit from. It isn’t a campaigning document or even a ‘how to’ guide. But it does present an analysis of the challenges – for us as organisations and the institutions that commission and fund us – and suggests some ways in which we could all do better. Thanks to all the organisations who took part – we’ve listed them on page 6. We really hope that together we can make even more of a difference to young people. After all, they do deserve it. Phil Kerry Programmes Director London Youth
So in November 2014, a group of organisations came together for an afternoon of honest and open discussion to think about what we could do collectively and individually to offer more young people the chances that others take for granted. In London there seem to be more opportunities than ever; young people can try hundreds of sports and experience many different art forms. They can get involved in social activities through faith groups, uniformed groups, sports clubs and youth projects. And there is clearly a broader benefit of engaging young people who face particular barriers or live in disadvantaged communities, in getting involved in projects that benefit those communities. Young people getting involved on their own terms in positive activities to improve the places where they live can also make an impact on the daily lives of other young people, older people and families in the same area. All of this makes it even more frustrating that some young people will still miss out. The Step Up To Serve campaign, launched in 2013, aims to establish a culture of this kind of positive social action. We’re supporting the campaign, as are many other organisations. But we all acknowledge that a campaign – however effective and engaging – is only part of the answer. If we want every young person to get involved then we have a duty to listen to them; reach out to them; and design and deliver opportunities that they will genuinely feel are for them. We need to support and enable those young people to get involved. 1
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This report is based on learning and insights from the Roundtable, and from notes and case studies submitted subsequently. We’ve divided the report into sections based on the three questions that were asked on the day: • Who isn’t getting involved in social action? • What are the barriers that they face? • How do we remove these and get them involved? The final section has a series of short case studies which illustrate some of the different approaches that are possible.
Who isn’t getting involved in social action? The Step Up To Serve research showed that fewer than half of young people (10-20 years old) have taken part in meaningful social action in the past year. The discussion therefore considered a variety of perspectives and learning about those who are missing out. The consensus in the room was that while it was impossible to generalise too much, there were certain key groups who were perceived to be consistently not coming forward. These include: • Boys and young men especially those from a white working-class background • Care leavers, young people in rural areas and those with English as a second language. And while the Step Up To Serve research showed encouraging numbers of young people with disabilities were volunteering, there was recognition that for many young people who do have a disability there could still be major challenges While the group were wary of stereotyping, it was clear that in general, girls and young women are considered as more likely to engage with commonly available opportunities for social action, and these girls would tend to come from more ‘affluent’ backgrounds.
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Some of the reasons why young people from particular groups do not engage are clearly to do with the opportunities available and the institutions that offer them. Others may be more related to the circumstances of the individual. For successful engagement in social action both sets of factors need to be understood and addressed. Similarly some factors will affect specific groups of young people, whereas others may apply to all. The illustration below describes some of the most common barriers identified in these terms: Barriers to young people’s participation
Systemic or institutional
The Social Action Roundtable brought together a range of individuals and organisations with different perspectives and with a wealth of expertise to discuss what more we need to do to ensure the benefits of social action reach those who need it most. A list of attendee organisations can be found on page 6. The meeting also coincided with the launch of Step Up To Serve’s new report on “what works” in embedding inclusive practices in opportunities for youth social action which can be found on their website at www.iwill.org.uk/resources/ research.
What are the barriers they face?
Individual circumstance
Context
Lack of transport (e.g. in rural areas) or affordable transport (e.g. in ci es) Opportuni es may require specific me commitments which exclude certain groups (e.g. single parents)
Absence of trusted adult rela onship in delivery
Lack of outreach to par cular groups (e.g. those not in mainstream educa on) Informa on about opportuni es may be too complex
The language of social ac on
The lack of relevance of the opportunity to the par cular community Family or cultural resistance to involvement Social ac on not a priority if facing tough life circumstances Affects specific groups
Young people are involved in other things they perceive as more fulfilling
Could affect all young people
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How do we remove the barriers? The group identified that it was helpful to look at the barriers in terms of who had the power to tackle them, rather than each of us trying to change everything. And while some barriers could be addressed – or at times might even be caused – by funders or institutions, it was acknowledged that we as delivery organisations needed to do more to challenge ourselves to ensure we are not preventing some groups of young people from getting involved. The discussion was informed by lots of existing thinking which has been done around this topic, including the ‘Six Principles of Social Action’ which have been established by the Generation Change coalition and can be found on their website – www.generationchange.org.uk/resources.html. The table below summarises our collective thinking on what funders, commissioners and delivery agents can do, building on the Six Principles and other inputs: Listen to young people when commissioning programmes Build programmes which are flexible enough to include young people who face particular challenges For funders or commissioners
Ensure the language and the branding are inclusive and attractive to young people Use incentives and links to brands to attract young people Show young people where getting involved can lead – and build in opportunities for progression
Organisations participating in the Roundtable Ambition
Gingerbread
Prospex
BBC Children in Need
ivo/Do-It Trust
Scout Association
Big Lottery Fund
Kaizen Partnership
Spirit of 2012
Cabinet Office
London Funders
Step Up To Serve
Catch22
London Youth
Team London
Envision/Generation Change
Mencap
Working with Men
Foyer Federation
NCS Trust
Wac Arts
The views in this report are not those of any single organisation, but are a summary of all the contributions made. Below is a summary of some views shared by the young people who attended the roundtable:. Seek us But then stay with us On our terms For the long term
Incentivise and support outreach and long-term engagement Be creative and reach out to groups who aren’t readily engaging Don’t just hit the numbers targets, think about who you want to reach Listen to young people and let them shape delivery
For delivery organisations
Show young people what they can get from participating, rather than just telling them Support and empower peer recruitment and peer mentoring Go where young people are to recruit and deliver Design and develop programmes which recognise challenges that young people face
Motivate us with relevant goals Take time to get to know us and build our trust Be flexible And feed us chicken
Give us the skills to overcome our own issues With our friends And help us access support to deal with our bigger challenges Speak to us in ways we understand
Be there over the long-term and build trusted relationships with young people Design accessible and exciting materials and information
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Social action case studies We asked attendees of the roundtable to provide some examples of social action led by the young people they work with.
Gingerbread: supporting young single parents into Social Action Gingerbread provides free advice, training, and practical support for single parents and campaigns to improve the lives of all single parent families. Helen, a young mum, set up her own Gingerbread friendship and support group for her area when she wanted to join one and realised that the nearest groups weren’t feasibly accessible without a car. Her group now has 75 members and meets monthly in a local church hall. Each month has a different theme, often with lone parenting issues at the heart. For example, one month a photographer came to do free family portraits as it’s more difficult for lone parents to be photographed with their children. The group organises outings and access to workshops such as paediatric first aid and legal advice, and have a social media group providing mutual support and signposting to services. They have also recently hosted Iain Duncan Smith MP at a meeting and spoken with him about the changes to the Child Support Agency. Helen spoke about the benefits she has gained from participating in social action: “Knowing that I am making a difference in people’s lives is thrilling. I also find injustice profoundly irritating and I hate the thought of it going unchallenged so I have a deep sense of satisfaction about doing what I can. Running a Gingerbread Group has helped me form a new positive identity as a single parent. It wasn’t my choice to parent alone but Gingerbread has helped me to do it ‘on purpose’ and take back control. I have also met some truly amazing and likeminded people who have become personal friends. As my son grows up I hope that the work that I do will provide him with a positive impression of one parent families and be proud to be associated with them.”
Envision: young people concerned about knife crime, wanting to build community resilience The ‘Wise Up to Rise Up’ team are part of Envision’s Children4Change programme where teenagers from special schools across London take part in and organise social action projects in their local communities. The ‘Wise Up to Rise Up’ team were worried about the soaring rates of knife crime in their area. They desperately wanted to protect their community and with Envision’s help, arranged to visit the Ben Kinsella Knife Crime Awareness Exhibition to help inform their approach. Realising that the issue needed to be highlighted more visibly, they decided to produce a constant visual reminder: Oyster card holders with messages against knife crime. They collaborated with a local artist and graphic design agency to create an appealing, eye-catching design. They distributed the Oyster card holders across a network of SEN and mainstream schools in their community, also delivering a presentation to educate students about knife crime. These became a hugely popular accessory amongst young people in the area, and their striking design made them a community talking point too. Demand for the Oyster card holders led them to continue their work beyond their project, including running stalls to give out the holders at events such as the Envision Graduation Ceremony, where the team received the ‘Spreading the Word’ Award for raising awareness of knife crime so effectively and creatively.
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Working with Men: engaging young fathers in community action Working with Men help ensure that young men have the skills required to father their children well. As an organisation, they are successful in assisting fathers in accessing training, education and employment, and support the active involvement of young fathers in parenting. AL is a young father who was referred to Working with Men in January 2013. In 2012 AL had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act and subsequently charged with attempted murder. Over the past two years, AL has attended several Healthwatch Forums and made a valuable contribution to help influence and shape practice within primary healthcare and the legal system based on his experiences.
The Scout Association: 8th Holborn reaching out to others within the community 8th Holborn is a thriving Scout Group based in central London in the Borough of Camden. The majority of the 8th Holborn’s young people come from the estates around their base which is at Coram’s Fields in Bloomsbury. Financial pressures are one of the main challenges for families in the area: they struggle to pay for extra-curricular activities, but 8th Holborn aims to go that extra mile to include all young people. Where there are single-parent families and households with no wage earners, the Scouts group have either fundraised or tapped into other means of support to enable all young people to take part.
Not only does AL’s contribution give a valuable insight to professionals and members of the public, it also keeps him focused and allows his mind to be positive and productive. By writing reports and identifying specific needs, AL has noticed that his contribution is both valued and needed within his community. Social action has also increased his motivation with regards to his outlook on life and AL is better prepared to take on his responsibilities as a father and as a young person. Over the last few months, Working with Men have observed a young man who accepts and responds to his responsibilities as a father in a very efficient and attentive manner.
Being based at Coram’s Fields also gives the young people the chance to put up tents, play wide games and enjoy some greenery. It also enables them to socialise with their friends on their own doorstep, which would otherwise be difficult. After recent local authority cuts the young people have been working hard to fundraise for their project and facilities. They have taken part in local activities such as selling glow sticks and collecting donations at the annual fireworks display. The Scouts are enthusiastic about their Group and its home: “You make good friends here,” says Deenah, 13. “It’s unique. Everyone has their own personality and Scouts accept everyone for who they are. It’s like a family here” adds Sarah, 12.
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London Youth and Dost: strengthening young people’s confidence through teamwork Dost is a youth club in East Ham, working with children and young people who have arrived in the UK alone, seeking protection from violence, abuse and persecution in their home countries. In recent years Dost has extended its work to include young migrants as well as refugees. Many of the young people speak English as a second language. Young people who attend the club have taken part in social action through London Youth’s Athan 31 programme. The programme gives small amounts of funding to projects young people think are important. The priority for the young people at Dost was to help build their confidence and communications skills as building blocks for their future personal development. Young people who had recently joined Dost planned and embarked upon a number of team and confidence building activities, starting with a karting day and progressing to a longer activity in the form of a 5 day sailing trip. The young people said while the karting had been fun and bonded them as a team, the sailing trip moved their learning on, by helping them to understand what it was to be a role model and to take on more responsibility. Having bonded as a team, the young people were then supported to volunteer at a local care home where they hoped to bridge the intergenerational gap and dispel negative imagery around young people and refugees. They planned to do this by running workshops and a showcase event for the residents. The project was well received by the care home residents and the young people alike.
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