The impact of COVID-19 on young people's employability: the potential of sport-based interventions as non-formal education
- Date Published
- Feb 2024
- Publisher(s)
- Department for Health, University of Bath
- Document Type
- Report
- More Info
- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/13639080.2023.2292137?needAccess=true
- Themes
- COVID-19 Recovery, Economic Impact, Education*, Health & Wellbeing*, Infrastructure & Travel*, Physical Activity, Physical Inactivity, Social & Community*, Strategy & Policy, Under Represented Groups*, Workforce*
- Sub Themes
- Mental Health, Physical Health, Travel, Crime, Disability, Lower socio-economic groups, Young People, Clubs, Coaching, Volunteering
- Geographic Area
- National
- Lifestages
- Children & Young People
- Sport / Activity
- Disability Sport, Football, Walking, Exercise Referral, Mental Health
The COVID-19 pandemic had a disproportionate impact on young people's mental health, education, social development, employment prospects, and future prosperity. The UK government implemented formal policies to address youth employability issues, but there is a lack of research on how non-formal approaches like sport and physical activity can enhance employability and tackle pandemic-related challenges.
Interviews with 20 organisations in the sport and youth employability sector revealed that sport-based interventions can effectively engage young people in employability programmes and prepare them for work, especially those who are farthest from finding employment.
These interventions also have broader social benefits by addressing emotional difficulties, rebuilding confidence, and reconnecting young people with formal education and training systems that they had become disconnected from during the pandemic.
