Barriers and enablers for young people when taking part in UK-German youth exchanges
Encouraging UK-German Youth Exchanges
Conclusion: Barriers and enablers for young people when taking part in UK-German youth exchanges
may relate mostly to the idea of access to information and guidance, rather than the close interpersonal support provided by a youth worker. This approach and pathway to ‘registering’ for a youth exchange contradicts the model sought by youth workers (see Chapter 3), whereby a youth worker creates exchange opportunities with a pre-existing group of young people already accessing a youth provision. This youth worker-based approach to recruitment has potential to generate interest amongst those young people who are not actively seeking exchanges. However, it can be understood that young people who are not involved in youth provision, but that are still actively seeking exchanges may not have access to exchange with this method. These young people may be more likely to be reached through online information platforms. Communication activity should focus on directing and referring them to group-based youth provision or exchange opportunities through schools. Consideration of the inclusiveness of either recruitment approach may be a significant factor. The resonance group identified that the youth work-based recruitment approach with pre-existing groups may be more effective for reaching marginalised groups of young people. However, in Germany at least, the survey identifies that young people in weaker financial circumstances were both significantly less likely to be able to find information on UK-German youth exchanges and significantly less likely to have access to organisations or opportunities that would help them take part in a youth exchange than their counterparts in stronger financial circumstances .
Young people’s levels of interest in UK-German youth exchanges were generally high. Lack of interest from young people in youth exchanges is unlikely to be a barrier to developing any programmes to support UK-German youth exchanges. German young people are slightly less interested in exchanges to the UK than to other countries. Finances seem to be the overriding influence affecting young people’s concerns about UK-German youth exchanges. Concern about money was the most commonly identified barrier with just over two thirds of participants agreeing or strongly agreeing this could prevent them taking part in a youth exchange. Corresponding with this, financial support during a youth exchange was the most highly rated enabler. Just under 9 in 10 young people identified that this would encourage them to take part in a UK-German youth exchange to a very large amount or a large amount . Within both countries young people in weaker financial circumstances were significantly more likely to identify that concerns about money would prevent them taking part in a youth exchange than those in stronger financial circumstances. It is likely that access to financial support, such as removing participant fees, and providing support for costs of passports or luggage will be important features to making youth exchanges attractive and accessible to young people in weaker economic situations. There may also be a need to consider how disruption to work could be minimised for young people within work, apprenticeships, or other forms of paid training. Stronger access to information on UK-German youth exchanges and access to support organisations are also important factors affecting young people’s engagement with youth exchanges. The survey suggests that there are some young people actively seeking to ‘register’ for youth exchange opportunities, using the internet as their principal tool to find them. These young people describe a lack of opportunities to find information. Their idea of the support needed to take part in youth exchanges
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