Embedding Equitable Evaluation in Employability Provision (E4P)

Young people frequently get asked to provide demographic information when they are engaging in youth provision, including employability opportunities. Demographic data collection has been built into England’s education and youth provision systems and structures for many years and, whilst organisations like the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and parts of the education sector have reviewed and revised what demographic data gets collected and how it is collected, this has not led to a high level of consistency or clarity in practice. 

There has been no routine, formal review of demographic data collection to explore why and how we do this within the charity/voluntary sector specifically, and in the informal and non-formal education contexts, demographic data practices lack co-ordination and oversight.  

It is possible that this is because it is not clear who would lead this work, and because the charity/voluntary sector is so broad, with intersections across many other sectors such as healthcare, youth work, education, social care, youth justice, homelessness, and more. It is a very complex task. 

E4P seeks to begin to address this, with two key objectives: 

1. Explore knowledge, practice, and views on the collection and use of demographic data; and  

2. Co-create recommendations for changes that would result in better practices - with the definition of “better” to be first and foremost shaped by young people and practitioners. 
    

Timeline and deliverables 

This work started in 2023 with a desk-based review and then, crucially, conversations with young people and practitioners directly. What we have heard from this phase will be summarised in our new report (to be published in autumn 2024). 

In the report, we have tried to centralise the perspectives of young people and practitioners; highlighting some of the experiences, issues, and challenges that they have raised, as well as their recommendations for improving the process. 

This report will then feed into a consultation and co-creation process with young people and practitioners, followed by a summary of recommendations and new guidance or tools (to be complete by the end of 2024). 

For more information on how you can contribute and share your experiences, we have further details about this below.

Contact details 

If you would like more information about this project, please get in touch with Catherine (catherine.mitchell@ymcageorgewilliams.uk)