NEWS RELEASE

15th July 2009 – for immediate release

Unemployed young adults left to cope with problems alone
Youth advice and counselling services facing overwhelming demand whilst resources are cut

As youth unemployment soars towards the 1 million mark, services providing advice and counselling for young people are likely to become overwhelmed.

New research published today by Youth Access indicates that, even before the downturn, over 2 million 16-24 year olds, many of them NEETs, experienced serious rights-related social welfare problems every year – yet fewer than half managed to obtain advice.

The recession is now pushing many more young people into unemployment and its inevitable consequences – debt, mental ill-health, problems with benefits and homelessness. Without support from professional advice and counselling services to resolve such problems, many young people will experience long-term social exclusion.

Youth Access’ research follows news that DCSF Ministers have decided they wish to further consider the long-awaited strategy for young people’s Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) services and its implementation over the summer.

Barbara Rayment, Director of Youth Access, says:

“Just as the recession is threatening to produce another lost generation of young people, an alarming gap is opening up in provision for young adults with serious social welfare problems. The Government has already recognised the impact of the recession on the adult population by increasing access to debt and social welfare advice. However, the evidence shows investment in adult services has little impact on young people.

“There is a real need for a national strategy on information and advice that takes account of young people’s social welfare needs into early adulthood, if we are to alleviate some of the difficulties this group experiences in accessing services. We hope Ministers will take account of these issues as they further consider the DCSF’s IAG strategy and look to join up policy across relevant departments.”

Youth Access believes that it is imperative for commissioners of Integrated Youth Support Services and advice services to link up with each other at local level to ensure adequate provision of advice and counselling services targeted at young people.

The Reports

Youth Access is publishing two new reports, which are intended to support policy makers, commissioners and providers in planning youth advice and counselling services according to robust evidence of need. The two reports are:

The Advice Needs of Young People – The Evidence

The Impact of the Recession on Young People – and on their needs for advice and counselling services

The reports show that:

· NEETs account for a disproportionate number of all young adults with social welfare problems and for approaching half of those seeking advice.

· Although they are considerably less likely to access services, getting advice appears to have a greater beneficial impact on young people than it does on older adults.

· Increasing the availability of services targeted at young people (including young adults, importantly) will be vital if the worst effects of the recession – including the spectre of another ‘lost generation’ – are to be avoided.

· Although the Government has recognised that young people are the age group hit worst by the recession, its attempts to boost pressurised advice and counselling services have so far been aimed at generic adult services, which are rarely accessed by disadvantaged young people. Far from receiving additional funding, many youth advice and counselling services are actually facing cuts.


Download the reports


Notes for Editors

1. Youth Access is the national membership association for a network of over 200 youth information, advice, counselling and support services across the UK dealing with over one million enquiries a year on issues as diverse as sexual health, mental health, relationships, homelessness, benefits and debt. For further information, go to: www.youthaccess.org.uk

2. For more information, hard copies of the reports, case studies and access to interviewees, please call:

James Kenrick, Advice Services Development Manager, Youth Access
020 8772 9900 ext. 25 / 07535 344881; james@youthaccess.org.uk
or
Steve Lee, Policy Officer, Youth Access
020 8772 9900 ext. 28 / 07966 739308; steve@youthaccess.org.uk

3. Other relevant reports published by Youth Access include:

· Rights Within Reach: Developing Effective Legal Advice Outreach Services for Young People (2009)
· Commissioning Counselling Services for Young People: a Guide for Commissioners (2007)
· Counselling Workforce Key Findings Briefing (2008)
· Getting Your Advice Service Ready for Commissioning (2008)
· Locked Out: Young people’s housing and homelessness needs and the impact of good advice (2007)
· Young People’s Social Welfare Needs and the Impact of Good Advice (2007)
· Rights to Access: meeting young people’s needs for advice (2002)
· Breaking down the Barriers (2002) - a series of papers on meeting young people’s mental health and counselling needs