National Youth Agency

The National Youth Agency (NYA) is an educational charity in England and Wales that works in partnership with a wide range of public, private and voluntary sector organizations to support and improve services for young people.

The NYA's particular focus is on youth work and it believes that by investing in young people’s personal and social development young people are better able to live more active and fulfilling lives.

It has four themes:

Work is delivered through training and consultancy, campaigning, publishing and online communications. The NYA also validates youth worker training courses. Through its activities the NYA wants to ensure that young people have a strong voice and positive influence in society. Funding is received from a number of sources including national and local government and private organisations.

The NYA is based in Leicester in the United Kingdom and employs some fifty people directly, but also has a large and expanding associate network. Its chief executive since summer 2007 is Fiona Blacke.

The NYA faced controversy in 2010 when one of its key staff was found to be grooming underage girls. Simon Beard was sentenced to 21 months in prison after being found exposed as a paedophile. Beard had worked at the NYA for a period of 8 years and his responsibilities included advising young people on sexual health.

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