Systems challenge

The youth unemployment and inactivity challenge is stubborn and there is limited the knowledge, understanding and application of evidence needed to inform and guide meaningful systems change for young people.

Our aim

To analyse the existing evidence base and bring the best global evidence together in one accessible place, while also generating new evidence through robust testing of support interventions for young people.

What we do

Our team of researchers, economists and evaluation experts work with the sector, academics and other evidence professionals to:

Analyse the youth employment landscape

We continuously build insight into what is happening to young people and why through data, research and analysis work that helps employers, policy makers, delivery organisations and others have a much better understanding of the problem that needs addressing.

Create new high-quality evidence

We identify gaps in understanding and design and fund robust evaluations of promising support programmes to generate evidence that can better inform future systems change in policy and practice for marginalised young people.

Synthesise and translate insights

We draw on the best global research and evaluation work undertaken to date, bringing it together into evidence translation resources like our Youth Employment Toolkit and Data Dashboard to support policy makers, employers and practitioners to make better decisions in real time to support young people.

Latest resources

Youth Employment 2024 Outlook

Bringing together the latest data and evidence on the youth employment landscape to inform effective action.

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Useful tools

Ourinteractive online tools are designed to help you access and make use of the latest youth employment data and research.

Youth Employment Toolkit

Summarising evidence on effective youth employment interventions.

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Data Dashboard

The latest youth labour market data and our latest research.

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Youth employment system map

Interactive map of the youth employment system in England.

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Evidence and gap map

The world's largest interactive map of effective youth interventions.

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Meet our current research partners

Behavioural Insights Team

Building Futures  · 

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Behavioural Insights Team
Research & evaluation partner

ProgrammeBuilding Futures

Location

Evaluators

StatusActive

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About

A global research and innovation consultancy which uses deep understanding of human behaviour to improve people’s lives.

Working with Youth Futures

We are working in partnership with the Behavioural Insights Team to conduct an evaluation of the demonstrator phase of our Building Futures programme.

Youth Endowment Fund

What Works Programme  · 

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Youth Endowment Fund
Research & evaluation partner

ProgrammeWhat Works Programme

Location

Evaluators

StatusActive

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About

The Youth Endowment Fund was established in March 2019 by children’s charity Impetus, with a £200m endowment and ten year mandate from the Home Office.

Its mission is to prevent children and young people becoming involved in violence. We do this by finding out what works and building a movement to put this knowledge into practice.

It is part of the What Works Network, an initiative to improve the way government and other public sector organisations create, share and use high quality evidence in decision-making.

Cordis Bright

Inspiring Futures, What Works Programme  · 

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Cordis Bright
Research & evaluation partner

ProgrammeInspiring Futures, What Works Programme

Location

Evaluators

StatusPast

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About

Cordis Bright provides research, evaluation, advice and consultancy aimed at improving public services.

Working with Youth Futures

Cordis Bright have collaborated as evaluation partners on our Inspiring Futures and What Works programmes.

Latest opportunities

Partnership
Join our Evaluation Panel

We are seeking to refresh and expand our Evaluation Panel to ensure that it represents a wide range of methodological and subject matter expertise and meets the needs of our upcoming evaluation work.

Closing date: 16/05/2025
Job roles
Senior Employer Engagement & Partnerships Manager

This is a new role to support Youth Futures with achieving their ambition as part of their strategy to influence employer behaviour and practice to support more young people into employment.

Closing date: 03/04/2025
Job roles
Senior Project Officer

This is a new role to support Youth Futures achieve their ambition as part of their strategy to influence employer behaviour and practice to support more young people into employment.

Closing date: 03/04/2025
Trial recruitment
Join us in Creating Better Futures

We're looking to partner with employers to conduct trials of promising youth employment interventions.

Closing date: 30/05/2025