Research Reveals Value of Model

Did you know 89% of young people reported feeling more self-confident as a result of attending an OnSide Youth Zone? Every day we see the life-changing impact Youth Zones have on young people and their communities, however new research has now reinforced the significant contribution they make to young people’s lives with data revealing the social return on investment of a Youth Zone to be at least 200 per cent.

The report produced by AMION Consulting, a specialist in socio-economic impact assessment, focused on three of our Youth Zones in Manchester (The Factory), Oldham (Mahdlo) and Wigan, analysing the impact on young people and their communities across a number of measures including health and wellbeing, relationships and social skills and aspiration and attainment.

The robust methodology delivered findings attached to the value that Youth Zones deliver to society, which based on an average cost-benefit ratio of 2.01, representing £2 of social benefits delivered for every £1 spent on operating costs.

What’s more when examining the social return on investment for the average annual council-led public sector contribution (40 per cent of a Youth Zone’s operating budget), the cost-benefit ratio rises to 6.65.

The cost benefit value is one element of the research, however it also indicated the impact of our Youth Zones on its members and their communities with some astounding results after a detailed survey:

• 76% of young people were getting on better with family since attending a Youth Zone
• 70% of members exercise regularly each week at a Youth Zone
• 80% reported getting better marks in class and 73% were getting better grades on coursework/exams
• 89% of business owners located near a Youth Zone said it made a positive contribution to tackling antisocial behaviour

The research also indicates that the wider impact of a Youth Zone could be significantly higher when factoring in the full range of universal and targeted services provided, the value of early intervention achieved through onward agency referral and direct job creation.

Interested to know more? Click here to download the Full Report or the Executive Summary.