YouthLink Scotland

The Power of Youth Work: A Longitudinal Biographical Study

In partnership with No Knives Better Lives and YouthLink Scotland, Dr Emma Davidson explored how youth work impacts youth over time. 

This project sought to understand the significance and impact of youth work during and after the transition into adulthood through capturing the stories, memories, and insights of young people,  relation to key life events, and how relationships with youth workers influence personal development and life experience.

The research used biographical interviews with adults who engaged in youth work during their childhoods to identify its impact from a life course perspective. These interviews provided a rich context for understanding the diverse challenges faced by young people and the role of youth work in their lives.

This report takes on the task of exploring the impact of youth work through a lifecourse perspective, a method that promises to illuminate its long-term significance. By employing qualitative biographical interviews, it delves into the intricate ways youth work intersects with other aspects of a young person’s life, revealing its role as a supportive, preventive service. At first glance, youth work might seem to be about providing activities and safe spaces. These are crucial outcomes that should not be overlooked. However, the findings clearly point to the enduring influence of youth work, and youth workers, on young people. As the accounts show, youth work’s power is that its impact is still felt well into adulthood.

Read the report

Read the full report ‘The Power of Youth Work: A Longitudinal Biographical Study’:

Report author: Dr Emma Davidson

Project Partners: No Knives Better Lives; YouthLink Scotland; Centre for Research on Families and Relationships at the University of Edinburgh

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