There is some evidence to show that simply giving cash to the poorest people is a more effective intervention than anything else.
It's not so much the giving cash I have a problem with. It's that that is not their stated aim. Fair enough if they said they were a charity who distributed much needed funds to vulnerable young people.
But they say:
"Kids Company is committed to providing inclusive, child-focused and holistic support services to vulnerable children. Kids Company’s mission is to stabilise, nurture and empower vulnerable children, enabling them to realise their aspirations and fulfil their maximum potential.
Kids Company adopts a psychotherapeutic approach and views children’s emotional and behavioural difficulties in the context of their negative experiences of childhood. Kids Company seeks to provide an environment in which relationships of empathy and attachment can be fostered between children and trusted adults.
Kids Company works according to the following principles:
• The child is the primary client, to whom Kids Company is accountable.
• Significant adults, including parents and carers, are supported as secondary clients, provided meeting their needs is in the best interests of the child.
• Children are able to self-refer, to define the nature of their own needs and to shape the nature of their support package in partnership with Kids Company staff.
• Children are never permanently excluded; challenging behaviour is understood from the perspective of the child, in the context of negative experiences of childhood and emotional hurt.
• Children experience positive relationships of empathy, respect and care with trusted adults that act as models for future relationships.
• Long-term, non time-framed and flexible services are provided, ensuring that children’s complex and diverse needs are met on an individual basis.
• Services are holistic and seek to meet the child’s complete emotional, social, educational and practical needs.
• Children have access to a range of support services including education, employment support, nutrition, alternative health, therapeutic interventions, social work, housing and benefits advice, practical life skills, holidays, mentoring and key work.
• Where required, Kids Company will act as an advocate to ensure that children are receiving the statutory services they are entitled to.
• Services are documented, researched and evaluated in order to create a Kids Company model of best practice.
• Kids Company aims to disseminate this model of best practice to the statutory and voluntary sectors through a ‘Centre of Excellence’."
It sounds like they are not actually providing/doing much of this, which is understandable as it is a bugger to get YPs through the door and engaging, but instead of admitting these difficulties (which all charities in this field face) they seem to be upping their headcount by paying YPs to attend.