The Changing Role of the Voluntary Sector in Delivering Youth Employment Services

The central aim of this research is to bridge the empirical understanding on how voluntary sector (VS) organisations are responding to the overreaching debates regarding austerity measures associated with the provision of employment services for young people (aged 16-24) who are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) in England. In addition to the growing concern of youth unemployment crisis is the challenges VS organizations are facing within the state facilitated marketization of employment services ranging from funding, contracting and commissioning process, administrative burdens, payment models, delayed payments, and achievement of overall mission and organisational goals.

This study will take a case study analysis approach through in-depth qualitative research from the accounts of the VS, policymakers, and young people (service users) to understand the nature of the changing youth employment service environment and explore how voluntary sector organizations are engaging with the uneven austerity measures in the field.

Funded in collaboration with CRESR (GTA PhD Studentship).

Supervisors

• Peter Wells (Main supervisor)
• Chris Damm; Elizabeth Sanderson (Secondary supervisors)