A Review of the Work of the Positive Youth Foundation

The Positive Youth Foundation (PYF) is an award-winning Coventry-based charity that aims to raise the aspirations and life chances of young people between the ages of 8 and 25, particularly those who are facing challenging circumstances. In 2023 it worked with over 1,500 young people.

The charity is run by a team of over 40 staff, trustees and volunteers and relies on grants, donations and securing contracts in order to fund its work. In 2022 PYF approached Coventry University to undertake an analysis of the organisation and to understand more about its impact and the effectiveness of its work.

PYF staff and young people worked with a team from the University’s Centre for Global Learning over 18 months, discussing the organisation and the context in which it works, and sharing their thoughts on what it is like to work at PYF and take part in PYF’s activities. The research team interviewed over 20 young people and staff and spoke to external stakeholders about their experience of working with the organisation. Detailed analysis of PYF’s participant and attendance data was also carried out.