A new coalition of youth work organisations, researchers and local authorities has been set up to better evaluate the impact of the sector on young people. The Youth Work Evidence Alliance (YWEA) will focus on the collection and sharing of data across the sector. The news was announced by YMCA George Williams College, which is taking a leading role in the alliance. Founding members of the YWEA include BBC Children in Need, the Institute for Youth Work, London Youth, the National Association of Boys and Girls Clubs, the National Citizen Service Trust, The National Lottery Community Fund, National Youth Agency. Organisers hope the new approach will boost efficiency and aid progress in an area that has often been fragmented and poorly communicated. They say this has held back progress in the youth work sector, undermining the crucial role it plays in supporting young people around mental and physical wellbeing, social skills and building connections with the world of work.