Youth Employment Initiative Process Evaluation: Assessment of Strategic Fit, Design and Implementation

This document describes a comprehensive evaluation of the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) in England, focusing on its strategic fit, design, and early implementation. The YEI, funded by the European Commission, aims to reduce youth unemployment in targeted regions by complementing existing employment policies and aligning with EU, national, and local objectives. The evaluation, conducted by Ecorys for the Department for Work and Pensions, used a mixed-methods approach, including interviews and a theory of change, to assess the program's relevance and challenges such as unclear guidance and administrative issues. While the YEI has shown potential in engaging young people and providing tailored support, it faces challenges in procurement and contracting, and it is too early to judge the effectiveness of delivery partnerships. The document also discusses methodological approaches for future impact evaluations, recommending a combination of Propensity Score Matching and Difference-in-Differences, and emphasizes the need for inter-departmental collaboration and data sharing for successful evaluations. **This summary was written by an AI model and therefore should not be considered a definitive summary of the report. If you are aware of inaccuracies, please email evaluation.registry@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.**

Description

• Lead department: Department for Work and Pensions
• Evaluation stage: A complete evaluation report
• Other departments: No other departments listed
• Evaluation types: Process evaluation
• Process methods: Individual interviews; Surveys and polling
• Grant information: This intervention is not distributing funding via a grant
• Government Major Project information: This intervention is not a major project
• Policies: No policies provided

Event Dates

• Event Name: Publication of final results
• Event date: October 2017

Evaluation Costs

• Cost: Not provided

Evaluation sharing

• Link(s) to published report(s): Yes
• Links to evaluation plans: No link provided
• Findings: Not provided
• Permission to share confirmed: Yes