Project timeline

Youth work services mapping survey (December 2024 to March 2025)

The survey will answer the following research questions:

• What dedicated youth work services are available in the UK for YP with LTCs?
• What are the characteristics of these services?

We developed an online mapping survey (now closed) using Qualtrics for completion by youth workers. The survey was piloted and refined before circulating for completion. No personal data was collected other than the name and work email address of the person completing the survey.

Mapping services (April 2025)

The data from the survey will be used to map the different types of youth work services, from which we will develop a ‘typology’, which is a means of classifying services according to their characteristics.

The YPAG and AG will be involved in the development of the typology. The mapping exercise will provide a sampling frame for selecting six youth work services for in-depth study in the second phase of the research project.

Case site data sampling and collection (May 2025 to September 2026)

The six youth work services (case studies) selected will reflect different service characteristics (such as service provider) and different geographical locations (including those experiencing socio-economic disadvantage, rural locations and those with diverse communities).

We will study services in their real-life context from the perspectives of different stakeholders, for example, young people using the service, their parents/carers and the youth workers involved in service delivery. Data will be collected by semi-structured interviews, observation and documentary analysis.

Final write-up and results (October to March 2027)

We aim to co-develop an evidence-based service development framework to guide the commissioning, organisation and provision of YW services in relation to their development and implementation; organisation and integration; and engagement of young people.

Webinar and other dissemination (July 2027)

We plan to produce reports about our findings throughout the study and to hold a webinar, with other forms of dissemination later in the year, such as an animation, summary report or journal articles.