Crime solutions
Research into the effectiveness of youth training and diversion schemes
ECOTEC Research and Consulting Ltd were commissioned by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) in May 2005, to conduct research into the effectiveness of youth training and diversion schemes in England. The research aimed to identify the range, number and types of schemes supported and/or delivered by the Fire and Rescue Service (FRS), and to provide a critical assessment of their effectiveness. The research covered universal schemes open to all (aged 10 to 25), and more targeted provision for disadvantaged young people.
Title: Research into the effectiveness of youth training and diversion schemes
Author: ECOTEC on behalf of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
Number of pages: 132
Date published: March 2006
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The Children's Act in 2004 placed a duty on all local authorities to set in place adequate arrangements to safeguard children and young people through multi-agency working. The Youth Matters Green Paper further extends this agenda, by putting to consultation a series of reforms for the youth sector. These developments present the opportunity to review the future role of the Fire and Rescue Service in working with young people. At the time of writing, a national strategy was under development. The findings from this study provide supporting evidence for the range of measures that it proposes.
The type and range of youth training and diversion schemes
The research found that the FRS is actively engaged in youth training and diversionary work across England. Based on a survey of 33 of the 47 Fire and Rescue Authorities across the country – a 70% response rate – a total of 332 schemes was identified. This represents an average of ten schemes per authority – a significant number, given that the Service does not have a principal (or formal) remit to work with young people.
The original focus of work with young people in the community dates back to uniformed Young Fire-fighter Associations established in 'inner city' areas during the 1980s. These activities have since expanded to all parts of the country. This expansion was not coordinated. Authorities developed their own approach to youth engagement with relative autonomy and often with contrasting funding and aims. Even so, a common theme was evident for most schemes, of promoting community fire safety alongside the opportunity for personal development for young people.
The research found that the FRS manages, delivers, and is involved as a partner in schemes that target young people across the whole spectrum of needs. The more 'universal' schemes remain the most widespread, with Young Fire-fighter Association and Duke of Edinburgh Award being greatest in number. The past five to ten years has seen an overall shift towards more 'targeted' schemes, with a growing number of higher-end interventions such as Princes Trust 'Team', LIFE, Firebreak and Phoenix. These schemes are typically shorter in duration and focus on more disadvantaged young people.
At present, this aspect of provision is the most uneven in its availability, with 'clusters' of schemes located in certain Authorities. A further type of activity was identified at a local level, where the Fire and Rescue Service worked with partners to develop other youth interventions. Such schemes are a potential source of new ideas and approaches for the Service.
The research concludes that the current suite of universal and targeted schemes is an asset to the Service. However the range of schemes would benefit from greater coordination and sharing of good practice. In particular the relationship between different types of scheme and other local provision for young people should be reviewed to identify how the benefits experienced by young people might be sustained. This will entail greater cross-referral and networking.
The effectiveness of the schemes
The research provided a systematic assessment of the different aspects of scheme management, delivery, and outcomes.
The overall approach to managing and staffing the schemes varied considerably. Over half of the Authorities who took part in the survey reported a core team of (less than 20) vetted staff in place for working with children and young people, often across a number of different schemes. In contrast, certain Authorities reported involvement of far larger numbers of (more than 80) personnel. This presented significant challenges for staff training and quality assurance. The research shows a need to identify core competencies more clearly, in line with other agencies that work with young people. The Service is faced with a challenge in determining how far staff should pursue more specialised youth work-type training whilst retaining its main focus on community fire safety.
The majority of all schemes had suitable quality frameworks in place, with due attention to risk assessments, child protection, and Criminal Record Bureau checks for staff. A minority of schemes showed some gaps, including no current child protection policy. Some scheme are considerably behind other youth related agencies in this respect.
Immediate steps should be taken to safeguard those young people who are already engaged in training across the Service as a whole. The approach of the Fire and Rescue Service to equality and diversity monitoring is also an area of concern for the effectiveness of its youth engagement work. Very few Fire and Rescue Authorities reported measures in place which monitored and reviewed the participation of young people or staff from different ethnic groups. The overall response for engaging with black & minority ethnic group (BME) young people was typically 'homogenised', with few examples of schemes that engaged with BME representative organisations or tailored activities according to specific cultural needs. There are benefits to be achieved from transferring good practice from the smaller number of schemes that have been more pro-active in this area. More targeted recruitment of scheme personnel from BME communities is one way in which the needs of BME young people might be appropriately addressed.
Research into the effectiveness of youth training and diversion schemes Partnership working was found to be an area of mixed effectiveness. Links with partners strengthened the expertise of Service staff and provided a joined-up approach to meeting the needs of young people in successful partnership schemes. Some of the most effective schemes offered youth training with the Fire and Rescue Service as an integrated part of a wider programme of tailored activities. Key partners in this respect included educational institutions, Youth Offending Teams and Connexions. On balance, however, most Fire and Rescue Authorities were found to give partners more limited involvement in the day-to-day running of the schemes that they offer. The majority of schemes were managed internally by the Service, with partners in a more limited 'referral' role. Stronger partnership work is essential if the Service is to engage more effectively with current policy developments.
The research identified some recurrent messages, with regard to 'what works' in managing successful schemes, including
clear criteria for recruiting staff
line management to take place in accordance with core Service protocols.
At its best, youth training proved a viable career opportunity within the Service. Schemes were typically most effective, where they joined-up with other local services or projects and provided an opportunity for progression. Partners routinely provided the main source of expertise on training, whilst community organisations proved crucial in 'reaching' more difficult groups.
Relative strengths were found, for schemes at different levels of intervention. Shorter schemes proved effective to address higher-end risk factors, such as a threat of school exclusion. They provided an important 'thinking space' for young people, outside of their usual relationships. Schemes undertaken over a Research Summary period of weeks or months had greater benefits for introducing young people to a structured programme of activities, for example over school holiday periods.
Longer term schemes typically offered the greatest opportunities for progression and to gain accreditation. For all types of schemes, young people stressed the importance of having a support worker or mentor. The FRS was valued for offering positive role models, without the same kind of 'punitive' associations as for the police or Youth Offending Services.
Priorities for future development
Whilst many of the findings of the report are specific to particular types of youth training and diversion scheme, a number of 'headline' priorities can be identified. These are as follows:
To set in place adequate safeguards to protect young people who are engaged in youth training activities involving the Fire and Rescue Service. To include a Child Protection Policy, Risk Assessment and Criminal Record Bureau checks as standard;
To strengthen the existing partnership work for the schemes by promoting the involvement of partners in design and delivery, and developing a more strategic approach for Fire and Rescue Authorities in linking with Children's Trusts and LAAs;
To improve the performance management framework for youth training schemes, by placing a greater emphasis on evidence based practice.To include more widespread use of monitoring/evaluation and a place for youth diversion schemes within local Integrated Risk Management Plans and performance assessment;
To encourage more widespread links with other local youth provision in order to provide an effective basis for referring young people to/from the Fire and Rescue Service, and to ensure that any positive outcomes are sustainable;
To promote a more active approach for the Fire and Rescue Service in working with young people from black and minority ethnic group (BME) communities, by consulting with BME representative organisations on opportunities and priorities for development and taking positive action to recruit BME scheme personnel and volunteers;
To develop guidance on effective staff training and career opportunities for youth training schemes, including information on where and how to access training, and promoting the role of Youth Development Officer; and,
To extend and develop networks for sharing of good practice in youth diversion, and to consider how effective schemes, especially those designed for disadvantaged young people might be disseminated more widely.
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Last update: 15 March 2006