Hard To Reach Young People

We all know that the public library service is an amazing resource - it's free and it's open to everyone.

Unfortunately, being open isn't necessarily the same as being accessible and, even when we've worked hard to make sure that our services are appropriate and welcoming, there are still many social groups who find the library difficult to access.

Young people, especially those who are socially excluded or those from Black and Minority Ethnic communities, are amongst the groups that we need to make an extra effort to target directly.

In this section you will learn:

• Why we should be doing more for hard to reach young people and
• How to get hard to reach young people involved in library services

Why bother?

Working with hard to reach young people is often time-consuming, expensive and challenging. When library staff already feel stretched in trying to serve people who do use the library, it's easy to understand why some might feel that hard to reach young people are one group whose needs might be better served elsewhere.

So, why does it matter?

Because every child matters and so does every young person. As a neutral community resource libraries have a responsibility and the potential to offer young people informal learning opportunities where formal education isn't working.

In the section on this site, in the National Policy section, you will find information and evidence about how libraries and reading can make a difference for young people's lives, and how libraries can deliver on the agendas for Every Child Matters and Youth Matters.

Being involved in library services can give disadvantaged young people dignity and self-worth. If libraries can meet the needs of hard to reach young people and getting them involved in running library services, they are likely to be meeting the needs of young people everywhere.

The work might be challenging, expensive and time-consuming but it can be life changing for young people and extremely rewarding for library staff

There are examples of work done in library authories to connect with hard to reach groups. Between October 2005 and March 2007, three library authorities in South-West England took part in Partners for Change (Word, 41kb), an ambitious project funded by The Paul Hamlyn Foundation. Its aim was to develop new ways for library services to engage with socially excluded young people and young people at risk.

Twenty Top Tips for involving hard to reach young people

1. Work in partnership with workers who are experienced in working with hard to reach young people. They are also likely to have contact with the kind of young people you want to involve.
2. Spend time building up relationships with young people. It may time take for them to trust you.
3. Get to know young people on their own territory before inviting them to the library. This might mean spending time doing things which are completely un-related to reading like playing pool or going climbing.
4. Spend at least twice as much time listening to young people as talking.
5. Don't try to be cool! Be yourself. Young people respond well to people who are genuine and caring, regardless of their age or street cred.
6. Persevere. Hard to reach young people are used to being let down by adults and may try to test you. Keep going back for more and you will earn their trust and respect.
7. Don't try to impose your own values on hard to reach young people. 'Bad' language is part of their culture and through questioning it you will instantly lose their interest. If you feel responsible for them when in public situations, such as the library, politely point out that their language could be offending other people.
8. Smile! A friendly smile goes a long way to breaking down barriers.
   Keep rules to a minimum. If you need to set ground rules for behaviour involve young people in agreeing their own group code of conduct.
9. Be positive. Offer praise for every achievement, however small it seems.
10. Consider how you position yourself in relation to young people. Avoid standing over them or positioning yourself behind desks or at the front of classrooms. Join young people on their level by sitting on the floor or arranging chairs in a circle. This helps young people to relax and dispels any school associations.
11. Bear in mind that the world of books and libraries is likely to be very alien to hard to reach young people. Don't expect them to have read anything at all. Never try to get to know them by asking them about their reading habits.
12. Don't assume that young people are able to read and write. A large number of hard to reach young people struggle with literacy.
13. Never rely on young people to read things out, take notes or understand written instructions.
14. Don't make judgements or assumptions about young people. They are all individuals and their interests and experiences are endlessly surprising.
15. Ask young people for their views about libraries and demonstrate that you will take them seriously. Hard to reach young people love to feel listened to and valued.
16. Get to know young people's interests and gradually introduce books which they will personally relate to. This shows that you have listened and that you care.
17. Ask young people what activities they would like to do and see if they can help you put on thiose activities in the library
18. Use incentives such as refreshments and vouchers.
19. To share reading materials start with magazines. Look at quizzes, facts and horoscopes - these will open up discussions.
20. Many hard to reach young people will have previous defaults on library materials. A clean slate approach will take away a huge barrier. 

The summary offers key points about involving and consulting with young people.