Angela Constance hails importance of youth work sector to the economy

Scotland's youth work sector is of immense value'' to the economy, the Education Secretary has said, as figures revealed it delivers a return of £7 for every £1 of public cash spent.

Angela Constance's comments came after a new study put the value of youth work at around £656 million.

A poll contained in the report also found it has made a major difference to the lives of more than 450,000 people in Scotland today while 85% of employers rated the confidence and motivation that youth work develops as very important compared with 27% rating qualifications this way.

The findings of the study commissioned by YouthLink Scotland, the national agency for youth work, will be announced at a conference in Edinburgh today.

Ms Constance, who is due to speak at the event, said: Every penny spent is well invested, as this research shows.

Youth work builds the self-esteem and confidence of young people, provides space for personal development, and prepares young people for future opportunities.

We are proud to invest in youth work programs, which are a valuable complement to the educational system in allowing all of our young people to reach their potential.''

The study by Hall Aitken said survey results showed youth work builds a range of skills and capabilities including confidence and motivation.

Jim Sweeney, YouthLink Scotland chief executive, said: This new research reinforces what we as a sector have been seeing for years, that youth work has a significant effect on people's lives for the better.

We believe that universal youth work, available to all, provides the greatest opportunity in terms of preventative spending, as it can reduce the need for higher-cost targeted interventions later on in a young adult's life.

Youth work does change lives but it is crucial that we broaden the understanding and support for what this sector delivers for our young people.

Sue Walker, Girlguiding Scotland's chief commissioner, said the research was a fantastic endorsement'' of the work the organisation does with 50,000 young members.

Our fantastic leaders work hard to give girls in communities throughout Scotland opportunities, confidence, fun and adventure they might not otherwise have got the chance to experience,'' she said.

We know from our own research that Scottish guiding unlocks opportunities and empowerment for our volunteers too - almost half our volunteers say it's helped them get a job or work experience, and 99% tell us it's had a positive effect on their lives.''

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