Evaluation of the Early Intervention Youth Fund: Impact report

Product Description

The Early Intervention Youth Fund (EIYF) was a Home Office-funded initiative designed to support local areas to develop and implement early intervention approaches to prevent and reduce youth offending, with a focus on serious violence. In late 2018, the 29 projects selected for funding were in areas that were amongst the worst affected by crime in England and Wales, with the largest EIYF investments made in London (almost £4.2 million allocated to 10 projects) and the West Midlands (just over £1.8 million for one project). Funding was distributed via 19 Offices of the Police and Crime and Commissioner (OPCCs), supporting local development of a range of interventions. The evaluation included the 29 Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) projects that the Home Office announced in November 2018. Projects were delivered across 19 OPCC areas. ‘Project’ refers to the area-wide activity, most projects had multiple interventions. In June 2019 the Home Office announced funding for a further 11 projects (10 OPCC areas); these additional projects were out of scope for this evaluation.

The Home Office commissioned Ecorys, Ipsos MORI and an expert panel of academics to evaluate the programme. This summary presents key findings about the EIYF’s outcomes and impact. Quasi-experimental programme- and project-level techniques were used to estimate impacts on serious violence and crime. Analyses of qualitative data and additional project-level data was used to explore the fund’s broader outcomes (for example, young people’s awareness of the risks of crime, alongside attitudes, behaviours, aspirations and wellbeing). Effects on local delivery capacity, effects on peers and families, and outcomes for local communities were also assessed.