The aims of the Youth Professional Practitioner Network (YPPN) are to:
- Develop stronger collaborations with partner organisations, including through informing the curriculum
- Support the development of work-based placement opportunities
- Create opportunities for practitioner guest speaker slots within courses
- Develop projects alongside course teams and students
- Function as a vehicle for sharing information and expertise between the sector and training providers
- Support NTU's social impact agenda, including Knowledge Exchange
- Link with NTU's Youth Research Group and feed into the Centre for Policy, Citizenship and Society
- Promote consultancy opportunities
- Explore regional, national, and international collaborations
Discussion Themes
The Youth Professional Practitioner Network invites guest speakers, both internally and externally, to share their recent project, initiative, or research. Please see below for previous/upcoming examples:
- Jacqueline Lockhart from the Violence Reduction Unit shared the work of the VRU within Nottingham including current data, trends, theory of change, organisational approach, initiatives, and projects.
- Celina Adams, Head of Operations for Nottingham Community and Voluntary Service discussed their training programme, Practice Development Unit and NCVS Community Engagement programmes.
- Helen Passey, Senior Practitioner from the Children's Society shared their current work focusing on ‘systems change’ within the organisation.
- Kevin Jones, Head of Workforce Development from the National Youth Agency shared their vision for supporting training agencies with Youth Worker Apprenticeships. A collaboration event organised by the YPPN and jointly delivered with the University of Derby Youth Programme Team supporting partner organisations across the wider Midlands region.
- Henri Baptiste, Director - Pathway Housing Solutions presented the research report on Race Housing Disadvantage & Homelessness, working alongside several national homeless organisations including CRISIS, SHELTER, and Heriot Watt/ i-sphere as well as BME National and National Housing Federation. They are undertaking a further study focusing upon 'Youth Homelessness'.
- Richard Machin, Associate Professor (Policy Fellow) from Nottingham Trent University focused upon housing social policy, and its impact upon young people.
- (Winter 2024) Dr Ana Nunes, Senior Lecturer from Nottingham Trent University. Ana will be introducing a new developing research project titled "Rehearsing the Future: Using Legislative Theatre to Amplify Youth Voices in Politics" (working/proposed title)
- (Winter 2024) Frances Howard, Associate Professor of Youth Research from Nottingham Trent University. Frances will be introducing 2 new research projects and will be inviting a brief discussion and call out regarding: (i) a one-day qualitative research skills course for people working in practice/the public sector and (ii) a Knowledge Exchange project “Places where learning stuff happens” - Defining and Evaluating Non-Formal Learning.
Student projects (supported by the Youth Research Group)
Examples of student placements include:
| 2019 | 2 students working with Ashton Youth and Community Project (funded by SPUR) |
| 2020 | 2 students undertaking an evaluation of a community poetry project and a music mentoring scheme (funded by Nottingham Community Artists' Network) |
| 2021 | 4 students taking part in YMCA's new mentoring scheme Y's Girls (funded by NTU) |
| 2022 | 2 student evaluations of SwitchUp Boxing and Positive Futures (funded by the department), and 2 student placements at Beatknots and the YMCA Food Project (externally funded) |
| 2023 | 2 student placements with Next Generation and the SEND Project (funded by Knowledge Exchange). |
These research placements have built upon students’ existing research skills and enabled them to apply these in ‘real life’ contexts. In addition, experience of being in youth organisations, such as Pupil Referral Units, have enabled students to get a sense of working in those settings, which has shaped future directions and employment chances.
Knowledge Exchange
In relation to the youth sector, which has sustained ongoing austerity cuts for the last decade, supporting local youth organisations to evaluation and measure the impact of their work will further support the wider sector and future funding for these projects. Our proposal will help to build a strong evidence base for those Youth Organisations, as well as potentially generating future commercial income through paid evaluations.
We can support with:
- evidence gathering and data generation around 'impact' work
- creating data tools for youth organisations
- supporting with monitoring and evaluation
Impacts and outcomes
We want to understand the impacts and outcomes that matter, which for us are:
- Increased sector voice (practice and teaching & learning)
- Collective approach in supporting issues raised
- Increased pool of knowledge, skills and expertise
- Issues for young people.
More about Youth at NTU
Learn more about our further study options and research in Youth at NTU.
Youth Work Leadership and Practice
Find out more about the MA Youth Work Leadership and Practice (JNC) at NTU.
Centre for Policy, Citizenship and Society
The Centre for Policy, Citizenship and Society (CPCS) conducts research that seeks to understand the ways in which society operates, especially in relation to policy, theory and practice in social contexts.
Youth Research Group
Hosted by the Department of Social Work, Care and Community and supporting colleagues across NTU who are involved in youth research. Generating inter-disciplinary and cross-departmental collaboration through close-to-practice research.
Want to find out more?
If you want to find out how to become part of this Youth Professional Practitioner Network, please contact Ian Jones, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Social Work, Care and the Community, at ian.jones@ntu.ac.uk