Youth social action brings positive benefits to society as well as to the individual’s employability, character and wellbeing. As such, the # aims to make social action part of life for as many 10-20 year olds in the UK as possible by 2020, by increasing the number of high quality opportunities available, by ensuring social action is inclusive, and by helping young people develop a habit of social action. There is a ‘moral imperative to ensure the opportunities to take part are available to all young people’1, yet research suggests that YOUTH SOCIAL ACTION AND THE participation in social action is unequal, particularly in socioeconomic terms. SOCIOECONOMIC GAP This paper summarises some of this evidence and suggests where further research would shed more light on this important area.

WHO PARTICIPATES IN YOUTH SOCIAL ACTION? WHY MIGHT THIS DIFFERENCE EXIST?

Research on behalf of the #iwill campaign shows that in 2014 and Some examples of barriers identified for those from lower 2015 there was a significant socioeconomic gap in participation socioeconomic backgrounds include: in youth social action2,3. In 2015: • Financial costs, such as the cost of travel to and from • 49% of young people from the most affluent (AB) backgrounds participated. social action activities10,11. • 38% of young people from the least affluent(DE) backgrounds participated. • Lack of time – a third of 10-20 year olds not participating in social action in 2015 said it was Further research corroborates these findings, and because they did not have time3; further research on socioeconomic background is historically one of the how young people do spend their time would add strongest influences on whether or not young people and insight to this finding. adults participate in social action. • A lack of social and cultural capital – developed through their networks, religious practice, visiting the Time use diaries from 2000 shows that 9% theatre or museums, and discussing books at home12. of children aged 8-15 from least affluent backgrounds volunteered formally compared • Lack of role models: Young people whose parents are not involved in volunteering are less likely to participate to 20% of children from most affluent themselves13 – and we know that socioeconomic 4 backgrounds . differences in participation exist among adults, too. Evidence also indicates that teachers who feel their school embeds youth social action tend • ‘Hidden inequalities’ within social action projects, such as social norms around who is the ‘helper’ and to be from schools with fewer students eligible who is ‘helped’, and in projects involving social mixing 5 for free school meals . where the ideas of those from more elite backgrounds are privileged over those from less advantaged The socioeconomic difference in participation backgrounds14. 6 persists among university students and into • Negative expectations and attitudes towards young 7 adulthood . Evidence from the USA suggests people from less affluent backgrounds of staff and this is also the case for young people8 and volunteers running social action opportunities15. adults9 outside the UK.

AMBASSADOR CASE STUDY GAPS IN THE RESEARCH Deborah Mansell grew up in a village with It is difficult to assess the barriers to participation by asking many challenges, where most people are young people why they don’t participate: social action is in a poor economic situation. She wanted often considered a form of altruistic behaviour, and therefore to inspire people to change things for the people may be reluctant to explain their honest reasons for better, so a few years ago, she decided to not participating. Studies which are more in-depth, explore do her Silver & Gold of ’s Awards. For young people’s participation holistically – taking into account the social action element of this, she helped run a kids’ structural as well as individual reasons for not participating – club for 8‐12 year olds in her village, which was really and which use longitudinal data (taking place over a period rewarding. It got her into helping with a Venture summer of time rather than providing a ‘snapshot’), such as the camp and Girlguiding, where she’s now a volunteer Millennium Cohort Study and Understanding Society, are trainee leader for Brownies. more likely to uncover the reasons why this socioeconomic difference exists. Further research in these areas is needed to understand this in greater depth. Factsheet compiled by the Jubilee Centre for Character & Virtues at the University of Birmingham. YOUTH SOCIALACTIONANDTHE SOCIOECONOMIC GAP Factsheet compiled by the Jubilee Centre for Character & Virtues at the University of Birmingham. of University the at Virtues & Character for Centre Jubilee the by compiled Factsheet Education, pp.1-19.doi:10.1080/01425692.2014.973016. 15 action?docID=10449971 14 Engagement’, PoliticalScience&Politics,36(2),pp.275-280. 13 November 2015). the UK?Available at: 12 Education’, OxfordReviewofEducation,25(1/2),pp.185-198.doi:10.2307/1050708. 11 publications/Seminar%202%20Listening%20harder%20paper%20HC.pdf civic engagementamongstyoungpeoplelivinginareasofsocio-economicdisadvantage.Available at 10 9 www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1207/S1532480XADS0703_6 Science, 7(3),pp.156-164.Available at: 8 government/publications/community-life-survey-2012-to-2013-findings 7 NCCPE_Bursting_the_Bubble_Final_Report.pdf - FullReport.Available at: 6 5 doi:10.1332/204080510X538301. 4 mori.com/Assets/Docs/Publications/sri-youth- social-action-in-uk-2015.pdf 3 www.ipsos-mori.com/Assets/Docs/Publications/sri- ecf-youth-social-action-in-the-uk-2014.pdf 2 can-help-to-close-the-socio-economic-gap: deputy-ceo- of-step-up-to-serve-how-the-iwill-campaign- economic gap.Accessed(Accessed:5April2016) 1 Marandos, R. (2015) Rania Marandos, Deputy CEO of Step up to Serve: Howthe#iwillcampaigncanhelptoclosesocio- Marandos,R.(2015)RaniaDeputyCEOofStepuptoServe: CabinetOffice,TNSBMRB.(2013)GivingTime Available at: andMoneyExceltablesforthe‘CommunityLifeSurvey’. ental Atkins,R.andHart,D.(2003)‘Neighbourhood,adults,thedevelopmentofcivicidentityinurbanyouth’,AppliedDevelopmental Brewis,G.,Russell,J.andHoldsworth,C.,vInspiredStudents.(2010)BurstingtheBubble:Students,Volunteering andtheCommunity IpsosMORI.(2015)Youth of10-20yearoldsintheUK.Available SocialActionintheUK–2015:Aface-to-facesurvey at: IpsosMORI,CabinetOffice.(2014)Youth of10-20yearoldsintheUK.Available socialactionintheUK–2014:Aface-to-facesurvey at: NFER. (2016)StepUpTo March2016Teacher Serve Voice Omnibusresults.Accessedat: Sarre, S.andTarling, R.(2010)‘Thevolunteeringactivitiesofchildrenaged8-15’,Voluntary SectorReview, 1(3),pp.293-307. Sociology of Dean,J.(2014)‘Recruitingyoung volunteersinanareaofselectiveeducation:aqualitativecasestudy’, BritishJournalofSociology Eliasoph,N.(2011)MakingVolunteers: CivicLifeafterWelfare's End.Available at: Andolina,M.W., Jenkins,K.,Zukin,C.andKeeter, S.(2003)‘HabitsfromHome,LessonsSchool:InfluencesonYouth Civic Bennett,M.andParameshwaran,M.,ThirdSectorResearchCentre. (2013)Whatfactorspredictvolunteeringamongyouthsin Mason,C.,Cremin,H.,Warwick, P. andHarrison,T., EngagEd.(2010)Buildingvoice,civicactionandlearning:Variation inlevelsof Roker, D.,Player, K.andColeman, J.(1999)‘Young People'sVoluntary and CampaigningActivitiesasSourcesofPolitical Musick, M. A. and Wilson, J. (2008) Volunteers: A Social Profile. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press. Musick, M.A.andWilson,J.(2008)Volunteers: ASocialProfile.Bloomington,IN:IndianaUniversityPress. www.birmingham.ac.uk/generic/tsrc/documents/tsrc/working-papers/briefing-paper-102.pdf (Accessed:23November2014). www.ivr.org.uk/images/stories/Institute-of-Volunteering-Research/Migrated-esources/Documents/B/

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