Marjon approach to youth work taken up across Europe

Released: 16.05.17

Research from Plymouth Marjon University is being used across Europe to improve youth work services.

Dr Susan Cooper’s innovative approach to evaluating the effectiveness of Youth Work - Transformative Evaluation - is being taught to professionals from 11 different countries this month in a course being run in Tampere, Finland.

Dr Cooper said: “Our approach is so effective because it reflects and therefore is in tune with the ethos and practice of youth work - it is a tool to prove the success of youth projects. To have so many organisations recognise the importance of this methodology and want to use it is very encouraging indeed, not just for us as University researchers, but for the youth services which will be better equipped to demonstrate the value of their work and in some cases fight for their funding.”

Over 200 applications were received for just 20 places on the course which is being taught by Dr Cooper and Dr Anu Gretschel.

Youth work leaders from Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Slovenia, Slovak Republic, Poland, Germany, France, Finland, Cyprus and Bulgaria attended.

Participants were introduced to three methodologies, including ‘Transformative Evaluation’, developed by Dr Cooper, which is already being used in Finland, Italy, England, Scotland, Estonia and France.

Find out more about studying Youth & Community Work at Plymouth Marjon University or register to come along to our next Open Day.