Civic participation and youth voice
Essential and Transformational: Investigating the Future of Voluntary Sector Youth Work in Scotland
YouthLink Scotland / University of Edinburgh / Scottish Youth Work Research Steering Group · 2025
About this report
This Scottish study explored two questions: what are the future challenges for voluntary sector youth work, and how is youth work understood, recognised and valued across different professional sectors? Using participatory and focus group methods with four youth work organisations and 18 stakeholders, the research found that short-term and competitive funding is the most significant challenge, directly undermining the trust-based relationships central to youth work. The report also found that youth work is frequently not recognised as a professional service by other sectors, with youth workers feeling undervalued and excluded from multi-agency decision-making, despite growing expectations placed on them to support young people's increasingly complex mental health and wellbeing needs.
Research details
- Methodology
- Focus groupParticipatoryMixed methods
- Sample size
- 18
- Sample
- Youth workers and volunteers from four voluntary sector youth work organisations in Scotland (Girvan Youth Trust, Hot Chocolate Trust, Girlguiding Scotland, Muirhouse Youth Development Group), plus 18 stakeholders from partner organisations including schools, local authorities, community councils, third sector organisations, funders and private sector bodies.
- Place
- Scotland
- Youth involvement
- No youth involvement