Summer Jobs
Paid summer employment for young people at risk of involvement in violence.
Evaluation type
Funding round
Targeted projectsActivity Type
Settings
Evaluator
Completed
July 2025| Project | Funding | Region |
|---|---|---|
| UK Youth | £2,448,045 | North West, West Midlands, London |
What does this project involve?
This feasibility study aimed to establish a summer jobs programme in the UK targeted at reducing children and young people’s involvement in violence. Targeted at 16-24 year olds with risk factors associated with involvement in violence across London, Greater Manchester and the West Midlands, and delivered by UK Youth and their appointed Local Delivery Partners (LDPs), the programme arranged for one week of paid pre-employment training followed by five weeks of paid employment. The programme then aimed to support young people with in-work support, in addition to three check-ins with a youth worker.
Why did YEF fund this project?
The Summer Jobs Programme model originated in the US, with Summer Youth Employment Programmes (SYEPs) currently being delivered in 27 of the largest 30 US cities. Emerging evidence suggests that SYEPs have an impact on reducing young people’s involvement in violence during the summer. However, the research on summer employment programmes is weak, and these impacts tend to reduce over time. There is also a dearth of evidence from a UK context.
Funded by the YEF, Youth Futures Foundation, and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, this feasibility study, therefore, aimed to ascertain whether a summer jobs programme could be established and tested in the UK. It aimed to explore whether UK Youth and their LDPs could recruit and retain young people; whether employers could deliver the programme; whether the programme was well perceived; and whether there was sufficient demand and capacity to deliver a randomised controlled trial.
Participants were asked to complete a baseline and endline survey that included the New Philanthropy Capital Journey to Employment (JET) framework, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and, for some participants, the Self-reported delinquency scale (SRDS). Participants were also asked to complete a shorter programme satisfaction survey. The evaluators also analysed administrative data and conducted 43 interviews and four focus groups with young people, youth workers, LDP managers, referrers and employers.
Of the 623 participants who initially registered for the programme, 13% were of Asian or Asian British ethnicity, 46% Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnicity, 13% mixed or multiple ethnic groups ethnicity, 25% White ethnicity, and 2% from an other ethnic group. Of this 623, 430 then started a placement. Delivery took place in summer 2024.
Key Conclusions
| The Summer Jobs Programme successfully recruited and retained participants. 623 young people registered for the programme (exceeding the initial target of 600), 84% who were offered a placement accepted it (exceeding the target of 80%) and 86% who accepted a placement completed the expected amount of training and placement hours (exceeding the 80% target). |
| The cohort was vulnerable and displayed many of the risk factors associated with involvement in violence. More could still be done to hone the referral process and eligibility criteria to ensure those most at risk can benefit. |
| Overall, the programme was delivered with a good level of fidelity. Young people attended their placements, and the core components of pre-preparation training were largely delivered. There were some inconsistencies in delivery that should be resolved in future delivery (including varied types and quality of in-work and wraparound support, inconsistent use of the access fund and varying levels of stimulating work). |
| Participants and stakeholders had very positive perceptions of the programme. 95% of young people, 80% of employers and 86% of youth workers who completed satisfaction surveys approved of the Summer Jobs programme, all of which exceeded the initial target (80% across all stakeholders). |
| Summer Jobs can be delivered at the scale necessary for a pilot randomised controlled trial. There is sufficient demand to reach the scale, although there are challenges relating to post-intervention data collection that need to be addressed. |
What will YEF do next?
YEF, in partnership with the Youth Futures Foundation, is proceeding with a pilot randomised controlled trial of the Summer Jobs programme.