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Authors

Susan Mackay, Rosie Gloster, Ellis Akhurst (IPSOS), Nadia Butler, Ellie McCoy, Hanah Timpson, Zara Quigg (Liverpool John Moores University)

Partners
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Livepool John Moores University

What Works: testing youth employment interventions  · 

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Livepool John Moores University
Research & evaluation partner

ProgrammeWhat Works: testing youth employment interventions

StatusPast

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About

Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) is a research university with roots dating back to 1823. It prioritises research and knowledge exchange to provide solutions for 21st-century challenges and has a strong civic mission to contribute to the social and economic growth of its region and beyond.

Working with Youth Futures

We comissioned to conduct an impact evaluation of Choices as part of our What Works programme testing promising youth employment interventions.

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St Giles Trust

What Works: testing youth employment interventions  · 

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St Giles Trust
Delivery partner

ProgrammeWhat Works: testing youth employment interventions

StatusPast

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About

St Giles Trust was established in 1962 to support individuals held back by poverty, unemployment, the criminal justice system, homelessness, exploitation, and abuse to build a positive future.

The St Giles Trust delivery model and approach has lived experience at the heart of the solution, by training people with experience of these challenges to help others through peer-led support and social action.

It’s Choices programme supports some of the most disadvantaged young people in London into employment.

Working with Youth Futures

We supported St Giles Trust to deliver Choices as part of our What Works programme testing promising youth employment interventions.

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Ipsos

Building Futures  · 

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Ipsos
Research & evaluation partner

ProgrammeBuilding Futures

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About

Global market research and public opionion specialist firm Ipsos provide data and understanding Society, Markets and People.

Summary

We commissioned Ipsos and Liverpool John Moores University to evaluate Choices as part of our What Works programme.

This document reports the findings from the depth qualitative study, which explored:

  • experiences of young people encountering the Criminal Justice System
  • the individual, community, and systemic reasons for youth offending
  • effective support for reducing barriers and improving education, training and employment outcomes for young people

Insights are based on in-depth interviews with:

  • nine stakeholders working with young people
  • five young people supported by St.Giles

The report seeks to illustrate a range of experiences and viewpoints, and reflects only the perspectives of those interviewed and cannot be generalised to the whole population.

Programme overview

Choices was delivered by St Giles. It was designed to support young people aged 16-24 in London with experience of or who were at risk of engagement with the criminal justice system to progress towards and into employment, education, or training.

268 young people were referred into the programme by a variety of partner organisations, such as Youth Offending Services, during the pilot period.

It offered bespoke, asset-based, time-unlimited support, delivered by case-workers and volunteers with relevant lived experience. Young people could engage at times and in a way that suited their needs and motivation.

Evaluation approach

A Theory of Change (ToC) was articulated at the outset based on the programme intention and refined to reflect actual delivery.

The data included in this report represent the data set for programme participants enrolled between August 2021 and March 2023, with outcomes collected up to mid September 2023.

The evaluation consisted of qualitative depth interviews with 11 staff in managerial or case worker roles, and a total of 44 interviews with 36 programme participants.

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