Lack of clarity about €180m spent on youth services

There is a lack of evidence to show how more than €180 million spent on youth services has helped to secure better outcomes for disadvantaged young people, a Government report has found.

The value-for-money review involved in-depth scrutiny of three major funding programmes that target young people living in marginalised areas over three years.

Officials found that poor quality data and the lack of reliability meant the Department of Children was unable to make judgments regarding the efficiency and effectiveness of the programmes.

“This is obviously an unsatisfactory situation for programmes, which accounted for approximately €182 million of public investment for the period under examination,” the report said.

Targeted funding for young people living in areas blighted by drugs and social problems began in the late 1990s. The money is spent by way of more than 400 grants to local organisations across the State.

Key funding areas

The value-for-money report examined spending on three key areas of funding: local drugs taskforce youth programmes, young people’s facilities and services funds and other special projects.

A previous value-for-money review in 2009 found that a judgment could not be made regarding value for money on the young people’s facilities and services fund because of a lack of data.

The latest review, completed late last year, also found that information gaps meant there was little chance of securing effective, efficient services that were evidence-based and designed to secure the best outcomes for young people.

“It [the 2009 report] made several recommendations, but these were, by and large, not implemented,” the report noted.

However, some improvements occurred over recent years with moves towards more evidence-based work and new partnerships between service providers, academic institutions and the philanthropic sector.

The report also noted that interviews with frontline staff and young people indicated services were reasonably well aligned with the original intentions of the programmes.

‘Fuzzy interpretation’

However, the lack of a clear department-led compliance structure with clear expectations permitted “fuzzy interpretation” by local organisations of the national programme’s overall objectives.

The review said the need for reform in services was found to be considerable given the rising youth population and pressure on public spending.

It recommended that one targeted scheme should replace the existing three schemes and that this new scheme should be based on evidence of what works and clear objectives to be achieved for young people.

Minister for Children James Reilly said the review's findings and recommendations were important to the Department of Children's reform agenda.

His department was committed to implementing all necessary reforms and working with youth organisations throughout the country in order to secure the best possible outcomes for young people, Dr Reilly said.

He intended the review’s recommendations to be progressed through the forthcoming National Youth Strategy, due to be completed shortly, he said.

This blueprint will set out the kind of services that are needed for young people aged between 10 and 24 years, in particular those in most need of support.

He said a consultation on the emerging priorities for young people for the new strategy was under way.