News Insight: Charities aid transition to adulthood

A coalition of charities has set out the steps it believes are necessary to provide effective services for young people on the cusp of adulthood.

Research carried out by the Transition to Adulthood Alliance (T2A), a coalition of young people's organisations including Addaction, Nacro, and Young People in Focus, interviewed young people aged 15 to 26, staff that run projects, and commissioners, in order to highlight the work of organisations targeting 18- to 24-year-olds. It is hoped the resulting report, Made to Measure - Bespoke Services for Young Adults: Examples of Promising Practice, will inspire others to create similar projects and help young people find out more about organisations in their area.

The report concludes that effective services for young adults must adopt a flexible approach in order to fulfil their needs. Accompanying young service users to appointments with other providers, providing sustainable support that they can access when they have difficulties, and promoting responsibility to prepare them for impending adulthood are also highlighted as pivotal to ensure vulnerable young people are given the support they need at this transitional age.

Kerry Devitt, Young People in Focus researcher and author of the report, says 18- to 24-year-olds need to be "addressed as a distinct group, because we recognise that they need extra help with general life skills".

"In the 1950s and 1960s, the transition to adulthood was linked to leaving home, going into employment, or starting a family, but in recent years the push to keep young people in education means they are not adults in the same way as they once were," she says. As a result, Devitt argues that when working with young adults, it may be necessary to remind them to attend appointments - with mental health services or other providers.

Colin Small, team leader at Bridging the Gap in Sussex, one of the services cited in T2A's report, says that as well as ensuring young people attend appointments, his project tries to engage with young adults in an environment in which they feel comfortable. "We don't see people in clinics, we see them in restaurants, parks, or their own homes," he says. Small also emphasises the importance of persistence. "If [young adults] are referred to adult services and they fail to attend the appointment, they get discharged, so there is a huge gap," he says. "We'll try again if they don't turn up [for an appointment]; we'll keep the referral open and tell them that if they change their minds, they can come back."

Rob Smith, chief executive of charity Youth Support Services, which runs the Young Carers Transition Service, underlines the importance of helping young adult carers in particular realise their full potential. "Young carers' ambitions are quite limited," he says. "They often end up as unqualified social work support assistants because that suits their skillset, but we focus on education, employment and training — we draw up a personal action plan and explore whether they would like to study through the Open University or go back to college, for example."

TOP TIPS: How services can successfully engage with 18- to 24-year-olds

What is the best approach to take? According to the report released by the Transition to Adulthood Alliance (T2A), working "holistically" is essential. This is what makes a "real and lasting difference". Look at all aspects of the young adult's life and not just the immediate reason for them accessing the service — often, underlying issues will be of equal importance to the person involved. It is also important to listen to what young adults want and need — they are most positive about services that listen to them.

What pitfalls should you avoid? Do not allow yourself to become seen as a "stand-in" parent — many vulnerable young adults accessing services have suffered from a lack of positive role models growing up, so this can be a common issue. And don't be put off if a young adult is unwilling to co-operate initially. It may not necessarily reflect on the service you are providing and is worth persevering.

What preparation is needed prior to setting up a service? Assess whether there is a need for the service in your area and make links with local commissioners to emphasise the importance of your proposed service. Also, identify agencies that could refer young adults to you such as GPs, Connexions, colleges and youth clubs and establish contact with them to promote your facility.

What's the best way to manage services for young adults? There can be a temptation to try and help as many people as possible but this is not always the best approach. Ensure there are sufficient staff to offer a full package of well-rounded support to your service users.

How can I ensure the service keeps going? A good way of sustaining success is to form partnerships with other services or businesses with similar objectives — for example, local prisons or employers.