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Towards a Typology of Youth Social Action

Towards a Typology of Youth Social Action (PDF, 3.3 MB)

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Introduction

This research explores how to define and group different types of youth social action. It was carried out to create a shared typology for the #iwill Fund. It’s intended to inform funders, practitioners, and researchers working with children and young people.

Findings

The research found that youth social action covers a wide range of activities. These vary by purpose, leadership, and level of young people’s involvement.

The review identified clear differences between:

  • short-term volunteering and long-term social action

  • adult-led programmes and youth-led campaigning

  • activities focused on personal development and those aiming for wider change

It found that youth social action can be grouped using consistent features. These include:

  • who leads the activity

  • the scale of change aimed for

  • how young people take part

The typology offers a structured way to describe and compare programmes. This can improve evaluation, funding decisions, and shared learning.