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Realistic expectations: accounting for young people's progress in training programmes

Devanney, C.

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Authors

C. Devanney



Abstract

Purpose – This paper aims to communicate the challenges and tensions faced by front-line workers in negotiating the demands of performance targets and those of the young people they work with. Design/methodology/approach – An in-depth study, over a two-year period, of a number of training programmes combining participant observation and qualitative directed data collection. Findings – Workers need to be sensitive to young people's previous educational experiences and social context while encouraging participation in education-based work. Personal problems had to be addressed if progress towards the target of education, employment or training was to be achieved. Effective programmes rely on the front-line workers but systems of accountability do not recognise the breadth of this work in handling the wider personal situations of young people. The role of training programmes needs to be better understood within this wider socio-economic context. Research limitations/implications – The study is of a small number of training programmes so it is not possible to generalise from the findings. A limitation of the paper is that the ethical, moral and practical implications of the study are not explored. Practical implications – This paper extends our understanding of the complexity involved in the delivery of training programmes for young people. Originality/value – Providing practitioners working in training settings with an account of the work which may address some of the criticisms often levelled at them. It has potential value to inform policy development, implementation and future forms of accountability.

Citation

Devanney, C. (2009). Realistic expectations: accounting for young people's progress in training programmes. International Journal of Public Sector Management, 22(1), 8-20. https://doi.org/10.1108/09513550910922360

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Jan 1, 2009
Deposit Date Mar 24, 2010
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal International Journal of Public Sector Management
Print ISSN 0951-3558
Publisher Emerald
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 22
Issue 1
Pages 8-20
DOI https://doi.org/10.1108/09513550910922360
Keywords Management accountability, Performance management, Training packages, Youth.

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Copyright Statement
This article is © Emerald Group Publishing and permission has been granted for this version to appear here http://dro.dur.ac.uk/6636/. Emerald does not grant permission for this article to be further copied/distributed or hosted elsewhere without the express permission from Emerald Group Publishing Limited.




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