An investigation into the relevance of shared mental models in youth work settings, supporting young people to achieve positive outcomes.

This research demonstrates the relevance of shared mental models (SMMS) in developing the effectiveness of youth work teams. Much of the literature states that SMMs are crucial for team efficacy in healthcare settings, business, and aviation, although there is limited research about their development. Cooper et al. (2016) explored teamwork and collaboration, critical elements of SMMs, specifically in mental health services, and their importance in achieving positive outcomes for young people. Similarly, Fox (2022) researched a team of experts in social work education, discovering that cohesion and team support, again critical factors of SMMs, are essential for positive outcomes. Therefore, given their widespread use, SMMs have proven valuable tools in numerous sectors. However, utilising and developing SMMs in youth work have not received much attention in the literature. Literature was scanned for constructs relating to supporting young people in youth support environments, primarily from UK websites such as the National Youth Agency (2024), The Centre for Youth Impact (2023), The Prince’s Trust (2024), Youth and Policy (2024) and What Works for Children’s Social Care (2024) were also used. The methodology utilised a quantitative approach, which involved a ranking questionnaire to gauge the alignment of perceptions among team members in a charitable organisation that supports young people. Ten constructs were derived from the literature and used for a questionnaire. The study aimed to determine the extent of shared understanding among small teams in close and supportive environments, ultimately aiding young people in achieving positive outcomes and transitioning to independence. To this end, the presence of an SMM was evaluated. The study revealed a degree of agreement in mental models within the team and significant disparities in priority setting. These disparities present opportunities for enhancing SMMs to boost team effectiveness and facilitate more positive outcomes. These findings underscore the potential of SMMs to address issues arising from restricted resources and the complex support requirements of young people, particularly during the post-COVID recovery period (Jeffs and Smith, 2010; Rhodes and Dubois, 2008) and with the large cohort of young people currently transitioning to independence (OECD, 2024). This potential offers a beacon of hope for improving youth support services. This study offers a new perspective on how to work more effectively with what we already have, given cost-cutting, recruitment and changing governmental priorities, to ensure that young people receive the best available support. It underscores the transformative power of SMMs in bolstering team effectiveness, particularly within youth support services. It asserts that SMMs are critical in enhancing organisational performance, aligning with the literature on the transformative power of integrated team mental models (Jonker et al., 2010). The research advocates for targeted SMM development training as a strategic approach to fortify the functionality of youth support teams. It also calls for further investigation into effective SMM strategies and recommends that organisations invest in training programs that promote comprehensive, mutual understanding among team members. This research has found that SMMs are an important element of effective teams in many support environments other than youth work. Accordingly, the sector should consider its importance in improving the outcomes for young people against a backdrop of ever decreasing support resources.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

ma

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

masters

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Wales Trinity Saint David

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Shepherd, Karen

• HV Patholeg gymdeithasol. Lles cymdeithasol a chyhoeddus

Dc Identifier Grantnumber

UWTSD

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.uwtsd.ac.uk:3055