A framework of outcomes for young people

Abstract

Young people access a range of services, from schools to social work, homelessness support to hospitals, youth work to youth justice. An important feature of many of these services is their support for the process of personal and social development, through which young people develop social and emotional capabilities, including determination, self-control, persistence and self-motivation. Social and emotional capabilities are sometimes also referred to as ‘soft skills’, or non-cognitive skills, because they refer to the skills and abilities that are not measured by standard cognitive tests. These capabilities are important for their own merit and for their significance in achieving other outcomes. In other words, these services work with young people to achieve personal change in their lives, which itself can lead to positional change in their circumstances.