Monday, September 28, 2009
It takes nerve to go to an after-school activity.
Self- confidence, self-esteem and self-image are key to increasing participation in voluntary activities by teenagers.
A study commissioned by the DCSF has found that many young people did not take part in opportunities and activities because of lack of confidence and anxiety rather than because of lack of interest in the activities and clubs themselves. The research found a range of emotional attitudes which blocked their engagement and involvement
The research was commissioned to inform the ten year youth strategy, Aiming Higher, a key aim of which is to increase participation in activities out of school which help to develop new skills and raise expectations. The research consisted of in-depth interviews with 144 respondents aged 13-19 in 16 different locations across England. The interviewees were an equal mix of boys and girls and from a range of family backgrounds and compositions.
1/2 of respondents were not involved in activities outside of school at all,
1/4 were involved in activities outside of school, occasionally and
1/4 were involved in activities outside of school, on a regular basis.
Across all those interviewed, the researchers found common agreement that taking part in activities outside of school was a good thing. The difference between those who then went on to take part and those who didn't was confidence and self-esteem. This was expressed both in terms of not being confident they would fit in with the group during the activity and in concern that their place or status in their existing peer groups would be made vulnerable if they attended the out of school activities. General lack of self-confidence as well as concern about ability in the specific activity was cited by the researchers as a reason for many teenagers not taking up the opportunities. The interviewees described in detail the importance they placed on the views and attitudes of their peers when making the decision whether or not to attend activities available in their area.
“There’s one girl who thinks anything like that is totally uncool, and if she thinks that, they all think it. So I wouldn’t go and do it even if I thought it wasn’t uncool."
"It's not cool, if you're part of a big group they don't like you branching off"
The report recommends that in the advertising and organisation of activities schools, councils and other organisations should harness the power of the peer groups to promote taking part. Organisers need to focus on "creating the opportunity for groups to choose and participate in activities, rather than asking people to break away from the group to do them." Opportunities for teenagers need to be flexible in allowing people to bring along friends or come as a group on an informal basis to order to encourage teenagers to try them.
"The more common an activity is thought of as being, the more likely they are to be comfortable about being involved in it themselves."
Although, the report suggested that improvements could be made in making sure teenagers are aware of the opportunities and activities on offer to them, not knowing about opportunities was not the only barrier to taking part. The research concluded that many individuals do not feel activities are designed for them, a common example was widespread awareness of sport and drama clubs but a view that they were for people who were "really good " at those pursuits already.
“I tried a football club when I was younger and when I first got there, everyone turned round and looked at me. It was quite a bad feeling to have.”
“People say just join a sports club but it’s not that easy, you don’t get picked if you don’t do the sport really well”“
I’d be worried about people not liking me. I don’t care if I like them. As long as they like me I don’t feel awkward”
The report found that the issue of commitment to new activities was a barrier to teenagers making the decision to attend. Many of the interviewees said they felt that activities expected them to sign up for a term and that this was felt like something they might fail at, if they did not make the sessions every week. Rather than "fail" they would choose not to sign up to the activity.
“I stopped because they wanted me to come along every Wednesday and Saturday morning, and it became too much like work”
The report recommends that activities are designed to have a sense of low obligation and for a wider range of one-off or drop-in sessions to be offered to teenagers. The teenagers interviewed felt the non-organised, flexible and less structured out of school activities were more appealing because they were more in tune with how they liked to structure their own time. A majority of the younger teenagers preferred to "just hang out with friends" than attend a specific structured activity. The popular and successful activities and groups were the ones were attending was the event and a range of activities or facilities were on offer for the users to use as they wished.
The government target for all teenagers to be involved in positive activities outside of school is partly driven because of the benefit being part of these groups and activities has on an individual's confidence and aspirations, yet this research suggests that the way the opportunities are presented and organised often leads to those individuals with high self- esteem already being the most likely to attend.
To overcome these barriers, both practical and emotional support is required so that for a teenager making the decison to try one of the wide range of opportunities on offer as low risk as possible. The report shows that those who took the risk enjoyed and valued the groups and activities and that older teenagers, who tended to be more secure in their peer groups, were more willing to experiment with giving the after-school activities a go.
Giving young people a key role in both deciding on the activities on offer and organising and promoting them is part of the government's strategy and a valuable tool in removing the barriers to participation. The myspace Youth Centres being launched across England have been designed and developed with teenagers and will open with the findings of this research fresh in the minds of those promoting them.
Find out what young people think about myplace in a short film which also features comment from Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families and Beverley Hughes, Minister for Children, Young People and Families.