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Youth Sector

How can a trusted adult outside the family help keep a child safe, and what positive activities can support young people from becoming involved in violence?

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Children need the help and support of trusted adults like youth workers and sports coaches in their community. 

The Youth Endowment Fund has a mission, which is to prevent children and young people from becoming involved in violence. We plan to work closely with seven sectors (Youth sector, Policing, Youth Justice, Children’s services, Neighbourhood, Mental Health and Education) that make up a crucial part of the wider system that supports children. As we grow our knowledge and understanding of the evidence, working with you will be key to keeping children safe and giving them a brighter future.  
 
The youth sector includes a vast number of stakeholders like you who commission youth provision, fund youth provision or deliver programmes and activities to reach children. That’s why we’re focusing our work on two priorities areas, ‘trusted adults’ and ‘positive activities’.  

Why are we focusing on trusted adults?

  • Children who tend to be vulnerable often escalate through statutory thresholds and are likely not detected by services. This leads to greater harms as they accelerate whilst not having any support in place. These children can access a trusted adult who can begin to give them the support they need.  
  • Lives are being cut short, often enough this is supported through serious case reviews as statutory systems are working under resource pressures. Youth workers as trusted adults can be a bedrock of support and are specialist at working with children with the highest levels of need. For example, support for children is offered once a child has committed an offence, bringing them to the attention of the youth justice system. 
  • Children who mistrust adults engage better when it’s on their own terms (attending is not mandatory but voluntary). This relies on building trusting relationships that children see as beneficial, thus increasing their engagement.  
  • In our approach to finding what works, we’ve strengthened the evidence base for youth work specific interventions, which are available on the YEF Toolkit. 
  • It’s important that we work with the sector to continue building evidence, which will leave a legacy for both decision makers and delivery organisations that work directly with children to keep them safe. 

Why are we focusing on positive activities?

  • Children access a large range of enrichment opportunities that are based in sport, the arts and the outdoors. There are a number of programmes across England and Wales that reach children who need safe spaces to learn, build skills, improve their health and regulate their behaviour.  
  • Coaches and other type of key staff are fundamental to providing these opportunities for children and build strong relationships through their offer. 
  • The different settings allows for children with different interests to access these structured activities with a qualified adult. 
  • The YEF Toolkit shows that sports programmes have a high impact rating on reducing violence. Enrichment programmes such as these are popular with children and a great way to engage with those at risk of involvement in violence. 

Toolkit evidence

See below evidence from the YEF Toolkit about approaches to reducing violence that are often used in the youth sector:

Estimated impact approaches evidence quality
HIGH
(30%+ less violence)
 A and E navigators
1 2 3 4 5
Sports programmes
1 2 3 4 5
Social skills training
1 2 3 4 5
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
1 2 3 4 5
MODERATE
(10%-30% less violence)
 Mentoring
1 2 3 4 5
Relationship violence prevention lessons and activities
1 2 3 4 5
Bystander interventions to prevent sexual assault
1 2 3 4 5
LOW
(2%-9% less violence)
 Adventure and Wilderness Therapy
1 2 3 4 5
NO CLEAR EVIDENCE
 Arts programmes
1 2 3 4 5
Knife crime education programmes
1 2 3 4 5
HARMFUL
(increased violence)
 Boot camps
1 2 3 4 5
Prison awareness programmes
1 2 3 4 5

  

Explore more approaches on YEF’s Toolkit summarising the best available research evidence on preventing children and young people’s involvement in violence.

Changing Practice

What should youth work commissioners, funders and delivery organisations do to prevent violence?  

In April 2024 we shared our youth sector briefing through presentations that were aimed stakeholders responsible for commissioning or delivering youth provision that focuses on reducing youth violence in England and Wales.  The briefing provided opportunities to identify key interest gaps that will drive the design around commissioning research to inform recommendations. 
 
We will publish our youth sector practice guidance in Winter 2025 and will include implementation resources for delivery organisations and those responsible for commissioning.

Changing the system

How should the education system change to better prevent violence?   

In Spring 2026 we’ll publish our youth sector system guidance. This will build on the new knowledge we have acquired from the research commissioned and informed by the sector briefing findings from April 2024. This guidance will set out 5-7 clear recommendations derived from the research on what works, with actionable evidence-based recommendations. The guidance is aimed at senior leaders, policy leads, funders and commissioners of youth provision.

Our Strategic Advisory Group for the Youth Sector

Our work is supported by an expert panel, including senior youth provision professionals, academics with expertise in youth work approaches and a YEF Youth Advisory Board member.  

Alveena Malik 
CEO, One Million Mentors

Alveena Malik, Chief Executive and Co-Founder of One Million Mentors, has 25+ years of national expertise in equalities and social innovation. She’s held leadership roles at UpRising and iCoCo, advised government on integration and migration, and serves as Non-Executive Director at The Christie NHS Trust. Alveena is also a Race Equity Advisor at Youth Endowment Fund. 

David Knott 
CEO / National Lottery

David has been Chief Executive of The National Lottery Community Fund since October 2021, following a public service career spanning education, health, civil society, and community development. Previously, he directed the Office for Civil Society, advised on international governance reform, and worked in UK Civil Service roles. His leadership fosters community-driven change. 

Junior Smart OBE
Founder of the SOS Project / St Giles Trust

Junior is a social entrepreneur, campaigner and youth leader. In his early 20’s, Junior was sentenced to 12 years in prison for serious drug-related offences. It was while in custody, seeing the cycle of re-offending and helplessness of other inmates, he vowed to prevent what happened to him from happening to others.

On his release, with the support of the St Giles Trust, Junior founded the award-winning SOS Project. What started in 2006 as a small pilot project in Southwark grew to become the largest ex-offender led project in the country; helping thousands of young people make a safe and sustained exit from serious violence and criminal exploitation through county lines.

Leigh Middleton OBE
CEO / National Youth Agency

Leigh, a JNC-qualified youth sector specialist, joined the NYA in 2017 after 20+ years in youth work across detached, open access, school, and community settings. He pioneered innovative delivery models in Surrey, champions youth voice and participation, and focuses on quality assurance. He holds a PGCE and is completing an MPA and was awarded OBE by the King in June. 

Lib Peck
Director / London VRU

Director of London’s Violence Reduction Unit since 2019, was previously Lambeth Council leader, championing a public health approach to violence and tackling violence against women. She also held leadership roles in London Councils and the Local Government Association, with 18 years as a councillor and strong ties to the voluntary sector. 

Louise Gittens 
Chair of the Local Government Association (LGA) and Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council

Louise Gittens is the Chair of the Local Government Association (LGA) and the Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council since 2019, champions Devolution, Wellbeing, and social value-based services. Focused on Climate Emergency, Mental Health, and Poverty, she empowers inclusive decision-making, tackling inequality. A leadership coach, she promotes stronger communities, heritage, and sustainability in her vision for a compassionate borough. 

Sharon Lovell MBE
Chair Youth work board Wales and CEO NYAS

Sharon, with over 20 years in advocacy and children’s rights, has a background in youth and community work. A Glyndwr University graduate, she developed advocacy services, led Cardiff Youth Service as CEO, and championed statutory advocacy entitlements in Wales. Awarded an MBE in 2020, she promotes youth participation in decision-making. 

Simon Antrobus 
CEO / BBC Children in Need

Simon Antrobus, Chief Executive of BBC Children in Need since 2016, has over 25 years’ experience in the voluntary sector. Previously, he led We Are With You and Clubs for Young People, chaired the national inquiry producing Dying to Belong, and held senior roles at Parkinson’s UK and Scope. 

Tim Hollingworth 
CEO / Sport England

Tim, former BPA chief executive, led Paralympics GB to record success, including seven medals at PyeongChang 2018 and 147 at Rio 2016. A key figure in elevating the Paralympic movement’s profile, he drove BPA’s growth as a charity. With senior roles at UK Sport and in communications, he earned an OBE in 2017. 

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