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Supporting the hardest-to-reach young people: the contribution of the Neighbourhood Support Fund

The Neighbourhood Support Fund (NSF), launched as a pilot in 1999 and funded by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES), aims to re-engage hard-to-reach young people with education, training or employment through becoming involved in voluntary and community sector projects. The pilot, which lasted for three years and ended in 2003, delivered 650 voluntary and community sector (VCS) projects at neighbourhood level in 40 of the most deprived areas in England. This report presents findings of the evaluation of the project commissioned by DfES. The evaluation aimed to provide: an evidence-based and objective assessment of the extent to which NSF has achieved its stated aims and objectives; and an assessment of the three different management and delivery models employed by the Managing Agents. Key findings indicate that: the NSF had consistently achieved its two main aims; NSF participants were from the target group of hard-to-reach young people; the success of the project in finding and engaging hard-to-reach young people was due to outreach work; clients from ethnic minority groups were more likely than white clients to have moved on to education, training or employment with training; the majority of young people progressed on to a positive outcome; NSF provides a flexible and locally responsive offering for hard-to-reach young people; and the role of the Managing Agent was significant in providing the necessary focus on delivery and for providing training, support and guidance to projects at neighbourhood level and for ensuring appropriate systems are in place for managing finance and performance within projects. The contents are: Introduction; Engaging young people in the NSF; Supporting young people’s progression to positive outcomes; Working in partnership; Management of NSF; Conclusions and further developments.

The Neighbourhood Support Fund (NSF), launched as a pilot in 1999 and funded by the Department for Education and Skills ...  Show Full Abstract  

Authors: Golden, Sarah; Spielhofer, Thomas; Sims, David;
Corporate authors: Great Britain. Department for Education and Skills (DfES)
National Foundation for Education Research (Great Britain) (NFER)
Date: 2004
Geographic subjects: Europe; Great Britain
Resource type: Report
Series name: DfES research report
Subjects: Youth; Participation; Employment;

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