Young Westminster Foundation
Understanding the needs of young people
Young Westminster Foundation (YWF) works to ensure that the borough provides residents with access to the best possible youth services and opportunities. They believe that the voices of young people should be at the heart of their decision-making so are undertaking a needs analysis to understand the needs of young people living in the London borough of Westminster.
We supported YWF’s last needs analysis in 2020-2021 and are delighted to award them a grant for £10,000 to carry out further research in 2023. The study will be an opportunity for YWF to understand the diverse experiences of young people in communities across the borough post pandemic and during the cost-of-living crisis. YWF will use the findings to shape youth services around what the young people said.
- YWF supports 140 member organisations who provide life changing support to Westminster’s 70,000 young people.
- YWF works with more than 75 partners including local businesses and schools to create opportunities for the borough’s young people.
- This research is the third such needs analysis carried out by YWF.
Research by young people for young people
Young people are at the heart of YWF’s research. YWF members and young people were involved in designing the research alongside research specialists, YWF partners and funders. Twenty-five young people from across the Westminster community will carry out interviews, focus groups and an online survey with over 1000 young Londoners. They will also analyse the data and become co-authors of the research project. The report will be launched by the end of 2023 at a Young People’s Question Time.
As a result of previous needs analysis, YWF created an employability programme called Mastering My Future and placed mental health youth workers in the borough’s Youth Hubs. 2023’s research will look into 18 to 25-year-old’s employability in north Westminster, serious youth violence and barriers to accessing youth services. The findings will support funding applications and inform programme design, ensuring all are reflective of what the borough’s young people want and need.
“I hope the research will justify investments made to Young Westminster Foundation which can directly help young people. I really believe the foundation can help change lives and make a positive difference to everyone.”
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