The interim report from the findings of an evaluation of the Empowering Young People Pilots has been published. The EYPP pilots are a Government initiative that is looking at the impact of giving disadvantaged young people supported access to funding on reducing financial barriers to participation and increasing participation in positive activities. The pilots, currently taking place in nine local authorities across England till March 2009, aim to encourage young people to participate in positive activities.
The survey was carried out before the pilots were started. The purpose of the survey was to assess the baseline rates of participation by young people in positive activities in the 9 areas. The pilot projects are aimed at young people in years 9 to 12 (aged 13 to 17) who are in care and/ or eligible for free schools meals. The young people in the pilots receive up to £40 per month to spend on activities including theatre trips, sports, music, dance and drama. The young people access these activities through the funds being paid to the provider.
One of the pilots areas, Tower Hamlets Council in London, which run the COO-L project (Choice and Opportunity On-Line), use an on-line booking system which makes bookings for young people involved in the project and deducts funds from the young person’s account. Young people can use the system to book activities in advance or telephone to make a booking.
The majority of the young people surveyed from across the pilots were aged 16 and under (94%) and the proportion aged 17 and over varied across the 9 areas. 52% of the young people were males and 48% were female. Overall, 72% of the young people were white and 28% were from black and minority ethnic groups (BME). The proportion of BME young people varied considerably between the pilot areas. 20% of the young people had a long term-illness or disability. 82% of young people from the survey reported they were in education only, 7% were in education and work, 7% were in education in combination with some other activity and 1% reported work as their sole activity.
The survey found that 96% of young people, across the pilots, had taken part in at least one activity in the four weeks preceding the survey. The survey asked young people what types of activities they had taken part in. 85% had taken part in sports, 54% in performing or creative arts activities, 33% in learning/ courses, 66% had been to the theatre/ cinema, 53% had visited museums/ galleries and 32% had attended youth groups. 77% of young people from the survey reported that they would like to spend more time doing these types of activities. Young people, in the survey, were asked whether they had had some input into deciding what activities were available in their area. 15% said that they had some input. The survey asked young people how easy they found it to find out about activities in their local area. Only 9% of young people said they found it very easy, 37% said they found it fairly easy and 20% said they found it very difficult. When asked about how satisfied they were with the number of activities available in their area, 46% said they were ‘dissatisfied’ and 66% said they were ‘satisfied’. The survey also asked young people how good they thought activities were in their local area. 20% said they were satisfied and overall 40% said they were dissatisfied.
The survey included questions to young people about their feelings about their life in different areas. The survey found that the majority of young people were happy with most aspects asked about in the survey except about the area that they live in. 61% of young people said they felt happy with their appearance though this varied by area. 65% of the young people said they were happy with their health and 82% said they were happy with their family and 83% with their friends. When asked if they were happy with the area they lived in 48% said yes and 52% were not with figures varying between the pilot areas. 65% of young people said they felt happy with ‘their life as a whole’. Between 4% and 7% of young people, across the pilot areas, felt unhappy with their life as a whole. Young people were also asked about their attitudes to learning. When asked if they agreed with the statement ‘School is worthwhile’ 73% of young people agreed with this. Only 7% of young people said they agreed with the statement ‘I’m not interested in doing any learning.’72% of young people agreed with the statement ‘I’m able to make decisions about my future’, however this varied between the different areas. 58% of young people agreed with the statement ‘I know where to get help and information about the things that are important to me.’
The survey asked young people what would help them to have greater participation in activities. 42% of young people said that if their friends or family got involved with them that this would make it easier for them to do these activities. 41% said that getting the cost of activities paid would help. The three other things also mentioned by young people that would help them participate in activities included ‘If I knew more about the sorts of things that are available, ‘If I knew I could get any transport expenses paid’ and ‘If I knew it would help improve my skills.’
The Department will use the data from the survey for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) to measure the impact of the pilots through a follow-up survey.
Related Links
Empowering Young People Pilot Interim Evaluation: Baseline Survey*