University Researchers Filled With Enthusiasm Over New Community Study
10 January 2013
iCeGs Researcher Jo Hutchinson
The research is fantastic, it helps to back up what we already believed and gives us a positive launch pad to convince others that Enthusiasm is worth investing in so that we can continue to impact on lives in the communities that we serve.
”Joe Russo, Founder and Chief Executive of Enthusiasm.
Young people involved in Derby community projects run by the Enthusiasm Trust gained confidence, had an improved attitude to learning, and forged stronger relationships with adults and the wider community, say researchers from the University of Derby.
Nicki Moore and Jo Hutchinson, from the University's International Centre for Guidance Studies (iCeGs), recently conducted a comprehensive study focusing on the impact of youth engagement in local community projects run by the Enthusiasm Trust. They also investigated how these initiatives are helping to tackle anti-social behaviour.
The research, which measured the success of core programmes run by the Enthusiasm Trust, a local community organisation that works with 11-18 year olds at risk of offending, was conducted through a series of interviews with members of staff, stakeholders and feedback from young people involved in community work.
Projects included the Community Space Challenge (CSC), which offers young people the opportunity to become more engaged in environmental volunteering services.
The study found that from the 20 young people interviewed, those who were involved in tasks such as litter picking, garden maintenance and community fun days, gained greater confidence, demonstrated an improved attitude to learning and stronger relationships with adults and the wider community.
The research also found that the 11-18 year olds who participated in Enthusiasm had a greater respect for the environment and were more likely to be a positive role model to other young people.
Jo Hutchinson, Principal Researcher at iCeGs, said: "Our research into the effects of the Enthusiasm Trust's community projects shows how much young people value having positive and practical support near to where they live. They talked about how the programmes helped them to develop respect for themselves and the people around them."
Despite the substantial benefits of these community initiatives, stakeholders and members of the community agreed more could be done to promote organisations such as the Enthusiasm Trust in order to reach more young people at risk of being involved in anti-social behaviour.
Joe Russo, Founder and Chief Executive of Enthusiasm, said: "The research is fantastic, it helps to back up what we already believed and gives us a positive launch pad to convince others that Enthusiasm is worth investing in so that we can continue to impact on lives in the communities that we serve."
For more information about iCeGs research, visit www.derby.ac.uk/icegs or for more information about the Enthusiasm Trust, visit www.enthusiasm.org.uk
