Policy & Practice have published their most recent report on the success of the Cabinet Office Social Action Fund. The report, by Professor Tony Chapman and Emma Dunkerley presents new evidence on why young people continue to volunteer after they have taken part on the government’s National Citizen Service programme. The research project evaluated youth work practice by Key Fund in North East England, Envision in Yorkshire and Humber, Youth Action in North West England and Connexions in Kent and Medway from 2012-13.

The Social Action Fund/Think Big programme was shown to be effective by helping young people to become more resilient and feel more in control of their destiny. What really made a difference for young people, whatever their backgrounds, was the trust invested in them to make good decisions and to be responsible for allocating the money invested in their projects wisely. As a social programme, the Social Action Fund also aimed to promote positive interactions amongst diverse groups of young people and the communities within which they live and widen social horizons, contribute to social cohesion and increase levels of empathy and tolerance. The report shows that the programme made good progress in achieving these objectives. Read the report here.