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The difference Information and Advice makes to young people

James Kenrick, Advice Services Development Manager Youth Access Youth Information Workers Cymru Network conference,18/01/11. The difference Information and Advice makes to young people. Youth Access.

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The difference Information and Advice makes to young people

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  1. James Kenrick, Advice Services Development Manager Youth Access Youth Information Workers Cymru Network conference,18/01/11 The difference Information and Advice makes to young people

  2. Youth Access The national membership association for young people’s information, advice, counselling and support services (YIACS) • Over 200 members throughout UK • National policy focus for sector • Set standards and promote best practice • Provide training, support, consultancy, resources • Develop the evidence-base

  3. Our recent work on information and advice

  4. Recent reports cover: • The advice needs of young people • Young people’s access to advice • The impact of the recession & cuts • The relationship between social welfare problems, mental health and youth • The case for the YIACS model • The outcomes and impact of youth advice (forthcoming) (All freely available at www.youthaccess.org.uk/publications)

  5. Extent of unmet need Each year, young people (in E&W) • experience at least 2.3 million ‘difficult to solve’ social welfare problems • 58% face problems without getting advice • 56% with homelessness problems • 67% with discrimination problems • 73% with debt problems • 80% with welfare benefits problems • 82% with consumer problems Source: 2006-08 Civil & Social Justice Survey data

  6. The impact of unresolved problems Cost to individuals and the public purse* = £1 billion per year * cost to public services as a result of loss of employment, physical and stress-related illness and violent behaviour resulting from the stress of problems Source: JustRights

  7. The disproportionate impact of problems on vulnerable YP %ge reporting Stress-related illness Source: 2004 CSJS data

  8. Impact of economic downturn • YP hardest hit by recession – high youth unemployment • Big increase in demand for advice and information, particularly re: • Debt • Mental Health • Housing & homelessness • Benefits • Employment-seeking

  9. Impact of funding cuts • Housing policy, welfare cuts, tuition fees etc. • impact on homelessness? • greater youth poverty? • Major cuts to services YP rely on, notably: • youth services • health services, e.g. teenage pregnancy, CAMHS • legal advice services • housing support services

  10. to demonstrate effectiveness of your service model Pressure

  11. The Youth Information Advice, Counselling & Support Model • A range of interventions • Delivered ‘under one roof’ • Young person-centred • Open to a wide age range, e.g. 13 to 25 • Holistic approach, meeting multiple needs • Multi-disciplinary teams, providing wrap-around support • Flexible access routes, including ‘drop-in’ • Free, independent and confidential

  12. The Youth Advice Outcomes Toolkit • Designed specifically for youth information and advice services • Focus on ‘soft’ client outcomes • Fully tested in pilots – with over 500 YP • Independently evaluated to work • Seeing results boosts staff morale • Informs service development

  13. %ge of YP reporting improvement as result of getting advice

  14. Mental & emotional health • Economic and social costs of mental health problems in 2009/10 = £105.2 bn • 47% of disadvantaged YP with social welfare problems experience stress as a result • Immediate resulting NHS costs = up to £2,224 per case • Advice improved stress levels in 70% of YP “I am feeling less stressed now we have somewhere to live” Sources: Centre for Mental Health; CSJS data; Evaluation Trust

  15. Well-being & resilience • Everyday problems lead to loss of confidence in 25% of disadvantaged YP • After getting advice: • 64% felt more confident • 58% reported improved enjoyment of life • 62% better able to deal with problems in future “New problems have made me feel stressed again, but I am coping better with them.” Sources: CSJS data; Evaluation Trust

  16. Money • 2 million YP live below poverty line • 77% in debt by age 21 • Av. public costs of a debt problem = £1,000 • After getting advice, YP reported • improved level of income (33%) • improved ability to manage money (35%) Sources: Hansard; Rainer; Legal Services Research Centre; Evaluation Trust “We would have been left in poverty. We’ve got what we were entitled to now. Our lifestyle has improved. We now sleep in a bed rather than on the floor.”

  17. Housing • 16-24 year olds account for 40% of all LA homeless acceptances • Cost to the state of a failed tenancy = £4,000 – £10,500 • Getting advice led 64% of the most disadvantaged YP to report improved housing situations Sources: CLG; Crisis; Evaluation Trust “Instead of being abused, I’ve got my own place and it’s stable. I’m even managing to pay my bills.”

  18. ‘If I hadn’t got advice……’ “I was feeling suicidal, I would be dead now.” “My little girl could have been taken away.” “I would have lost my home, been back in B and B and may have got into trouble again.” “I would have been homeless, mentally disturbed and in the gutter.”    “I would be in prison. We would certainly have lost our home and I probably wouldn’t have been seeing my children now.”

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