Youthworks is a consultancy that explores young people’s experiences to improve practice. We make young people’s views heard. By working with partners in academia, frontline practice and a wide range of professionals, we undertake projects, research, evaluations of services and development of guidance and training programmes.

Tracking trends and delivering training for a digital age

Youthworks has focused on teens’ digital lives in the annual Cybersurvey since 2008, when cyberbullying became a concern. Outputs include books, reports and accredited training.

While gathering information on cyberbullying, Youthworks explores which young people are more likely to be cyberbullied, the frequency and severity of the cyberbullying, whether or not they reported it and the outcomes.

The director, Adrienne Katz FRSA is a member of the UK Council for Internet Safety, Vulnerable Users Working Group and the Association of Adult and Child Online Safety Specialists (AACOSS). Prior to forming Youthworks, she was a Regional Adviser for the Anti-Bullying Alliance serving 14 local authority areas from 2003-2008 and founder and director of a charity, Young Voice.

Youthworks is a Continuing Professional Development accredited training provider currently offering online training courses in the digital lives of children and teens, for foster carers and residential care workers: Fostering in a Digital Age. This course, developed via extensive consultation with young people, social workers and carers, was funded by Nominet. The resulting enable-pathway project was led by Dr Aiman El Asam and managed by Adrienne Katz.