Impact and success

Successfully enhancing young people’s moral and emotional aptitudes and decision-making skills.

Youth Compass challenges young people, teaching them a range of strategies and techniques to help them make positive decisions – enhancing their future.

To inform programme development and demonstrate its positive impact, we are capturing survey and interview feedback from both our practitioner partners and the young people involved.

In addition, knowledge exchange meetings with sector colleagues allow us to:

  • include their expertise and ideas into the Youth Compass programme and resources
  • share our research findings and ethos for inclusion in pastoral care policies and staff training
  • raise awareness of the issues involved and the importance of positively shaping young people’s moral and emotion skills

The feedback received from both the young participants and programme facilitators has been enormously encouraging and consistently positive. 

Feedback from young people and facilitators

"Our previous interventions have been broader, less interactive and tell the young people how to think rather than giving them space to think for themselves. That's the big difference and that's what I think is really, really good about Compass.”
Steve - Compass Facilitator at Commonweal Schools (Trials 2, 3 and 5) 

The young people who have taken part in Youth Compass have told us that…

  • “It was fun and engaging.”
  • “It taught me about the consequences of my actions.”
  • “It made me think differently.”
  • “When I get into a negative spiral, I now know how to get my way out.”
  • "It’s helpful to learn how to recognise how people feel.”

The participants say that they enjoyed the sessions (95%, N=38).

The programme facilitators have said...

  • “Very clear and organised materials.”
  • “It really helps to empathise the difference between lessons and sessions at the start.”
  • "Students have been discussing how they personally relate to the issues covered in the activities. This is a real step forward.”
  • "The group is really sharing and appear to feel safe and secure in doing so." 
  • “All three groups have really bonded and it's become a really, really positive experience.”
  • “The programme builds confidence in each child not just in their own opinions, but also respecting other's decisions and opinions, and really taking on the fact that the world isn’t just black and white.”  
  • “Having that kind of dedicated space to share feelings and emotions... Unless a student gets referred to our pastoral team they would never have an opportunity to share information about their experiences. I think that's going to be a huge benefit in the future.” 

“We are really excited to be part of the Compass Project. The feedback is very positive. Students are enjoying the sessions and showing reflection and personal development. We are keen to continue to take part.”
Mr Charles Drew - Headteacher at Commonweal School