Evaluation of the PLIAS Step Up Programme

Final pilot evaluation report

The Step Up programme was targeted at around 100 young people who were not in employment, education or training (NEET) and aged 16–24 who were either involved in, or at risk of involvement in the criminal justice system. The PLIAS team did not have a formal definition of these two groups at the start of the evaluation, and trying to develop greater understanding of the circumstances of young people to build definitions was a component of the research. 

The programme aimed to support young people into sustainable education, employment and/or training (EET) outcomes by providing between 6 and 12 months of pre-work support, and up to 13 weeks of in-work support. During the pre-work support phase, Step Up intended to provide one-to-one casework support, information, advice and guidance and pastoral support, as well as employability skills workshops. Training for the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card could form part of the offer. The nature and intensity of support was intended to be tailored to each young person’s needs. In-work support was designed to be delivered weekly or fortnightly, depending on each young person’s needs. 

This is a report of the findings from the evaluation of the Step Up programme. The main aims of the evaluation were to understand and evidence the theory underlying the Step Up programme’s support model and the mechanisms of change (i.e. the main drivers of outcomes).  

The evaluation took a mixed methods theory-based approach.  At the outset, the Theory of Change (ToC) was developed in collaboration with the PLIAS team, setting out how the programme was intended to be delivered and to achieve outcomes. It was refined at the end of the evaluation to reflect changes that were made during delivery. This report draws on programme management information data for participants engaged with the Step Up programme between October 2022 and March 2024, including outcomes data through to July 2024. The evaluation also included: qualitative interviews with the PLIAS managers and case workers (eight interviews in total, with some staff interviewed twice) and a total of 12 interviews with 10 young people, with matched case worker interviews for two of these; and eight delivery partners. Analysis of a sample of 30 case notes was also undertaken.