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News & thoughts

Measurement Tools Spotlight - Doncaster Children's University

12 December 2024

We spoke to Doncaster Children's University to find out how they have been implementing the College's measurement tools.

News: Leading youth organisations to explore links between enrichment and school attendance in response to ‘absence epidemic’

14 October 2024

NCS Trust, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and the Centre for Young Lives - with support from YMCA George Williams College and Leeds Beckett University - have partnered to explore the evidence linking participation in enrichment activities to improved academic attendance.

Measurement Tools Spotlight - YMCA Heart of England

9 October 2024

The first in this series, we spoke to YMCA Heart of England who have been implementing the College's measurement tools to streamline their data processes and tailor their organisation's services for young people.

What would be lost if there was no further evaluation in youth work?

23 August 2024

The College's Dom Weinberg ponders what the impact would be if we ceased evaluation in youth work.

Help us improve the quality of youth voice practice

12 August 2024

We're looking for evidence of youth voice activity to feature in a brand new Youth Voice Observatory, coming this autumn!

Measurement Tools Spotlight - Stratford Youth Collective

1 July 2024

Continuing the series, we spoke to Stratford Youth Collective who have been using the College's Quality Practice Tool, Youth Engagement Survey, and Young People's Survey to improve the quality and participation within their provision.

Introducing the YMCA England and Wales Leadership and Management Development Programme

5 June 2024

YMCA George Williams College is proud to unveil its latest training offer, an exclusive support package for all those working with and for young people across the YMCA Federation.

Leading charities and funders join together on new alliance for shared measurement

2 April 2024

Announcement: YMCA George Williams College has today announced a new sector-wide alliance, bringing together leading voices and practices in shared measurement to evidence the impact of quality youth work.

Inspiring inclusion across the nations

12 March 2024

The College's Head of Research and Evaluation Liz Phillips shares learning on 'positive masculinity', an innovative approach driving forward critical support for boys and young men.

Creating consistent and intentional impact through youth social action at Student Hubs

23 February 2024

In this blog, Sophie Payne shares examples of how the team at Student Hubs have worked towards achieving the College’s Impact and Improvement Standards, and how the standards can support intentional design, delivery, and learning practices.

‘What’s in a name?’ – Data, duty, and the importance of honouring our stories

1 February 2024

For National Storytelling Week, Catherine Mitchell and Hannah Warsame explore the relationship between storytelling and data collection, and our duty towards the stories that sit behind our data.

Championing supportive and collaborative spaces for the sector

25 January 2024

We are thrilled to announce the expansion of the YMCA George Williams College Regional and National Impact Networks, welcoming Youth Scotland and Youth Cymru to our existing peer network across the UK.

The Centre for Youth Impact – ten years on

25 January 2024

In this read, Bethia McNeil looks back at ten years of the Centre for Youth Impact, looks forward to new beginnings, and explores evaluation’s shift from the ‘marginal’ to the ‘mainstream’. 

YMCA across the nations: supporting UK-wide collaboration

22 January 2024

This week, YMCA England & Wales will host the first Four Nations Youth Work Conference, bringing together youth workers from across England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland to begin building a national youth work network!

Learning from collaborative outcome reporting approaches to evaluating youth voice

23 November 2023

In this latest read, YMCA George Williams College's Research Fellow Tom Burke reflects on his key takeaways from adopting a collaborative outcome reporting approach to evaluating youth voice, as part of our Establishing Youth Voice evaluation.

Building a Workforce for the Youth Sector

7 November 2023

In this latest read, the College's Kat Harris reflects on how intentional and consistent investment in training and development can reap great rewards for both organisations and practitioners.