Key Announcements
We have published ‘Youth Matters: Your National Youth Strategy’. This Strategy was co-produced through one of the biggest conversations the Government has had with young people in 15 years - over 14,000 young people heard.
It is a 10 year plan to ensure every young person across the country has somewhere to go, someone who cares for them and a community they feel part of.
It is backed by over £500 million of new money over the next 3 years from DCMS for fun things to do outside of school, support when and where you need it, more youth clubs and trusted adults.
Young people are the most connected digitally but arguably the most lonely. In a study of 40 countries, 11, 13 and 15-year-olds in England ranked among the highest in reporting that they feel lonely most of the time or always (HBSC, 2022).
The Strategy will create fundamental changes in young people’s lives with:
-
Greater support from ‘trusted adults’.
-
More tools to develop positive friendships, online and offline.
-
Access to more and better fun activities in more safe, welcoming spaces.
-
Greater direction and advice for their education and career.
-
More preventative services, whether for their mental health or their safety.
The Government will empower young people, putting them in the driving seat, so they are seen and heard and can hold us to account on how we are delivering for them and with them. It will encourage youth services to be more collaborative and tailored to the needs of local communities.
What will change in the next few years:
-
Votes at 16
-
250 new or refurbished youth centres
-
Mental health support in every school, college and more in the community
-
More trusted adults to support young people in the right way at the right time
-
More fun and meaningful things to do inside and outside of school, such as enrichment clubs, youth clubs, sport, culture, or outdoor and adventure.
It includes 2 clear ambitions - by 2035, we want:
-
To have halved the participation gap in enriching activities between disadvantaged young people and their peers.
-
For half a million more young people to have access to a trusted adult outside of their home.
This Strategy is for those between the ages of 10-21, and up to 25 with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities.
Youth Matters: Your National Youth Strategy (Summary Report)
Youth Matters: Your National Youth Strategy (Detailed)
Co-production with young people and sector experts
In November 2024 the Government committed to co-producing a new, cross-Government National Youth Strategy for young people aged 10-21, and up to 25 for those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
Since then, we have heard from over 14,000 young people, 1,400 cross-sector experts, and worked closely with close to 200 officials from over 10 Government departments to develop this Strategy. We also established Youth and Expert Advisory Groups.
We want to say a massive thank you to everyone for their contributions, and the way you helped us hear from so many young people.
“The National Youth Strategy represents hope: targeted investment in the working class communities too often overlooked. It strengthens our mission to show the state schoolers, the kids on the council estates, the ones whose youth has been shaped by limited resource, that they matter too.”
Sophie Pender, Founder, The 93% Club, Youth Advisory Group
“I’ve seen firsthand that the greatest successes of the National Youth Strategy come from one simple principle: putting young people at the centre. Its strength lies in the fact that youth voices didn’t just contribute to its composition — they shaped its direction, its priorities and its purpose. By listening to young people every step of the way, we’ve created a strategy that is not only credible and representative, but one that I hope will deliver real, lasting change”
Dan Lawes, Co-CEO of My Life My Say, Youth Advisory Group
“The National Youth Strategy puts young people at the centre of change, reflecting what they have said they need: safe spaces, trusted adults, and real opportunities to thrive. Youth work is essential in delivering these plans, and the Strategy makes that clear. We look forward to working with Government to ensure this ambition is matched with action, delivering equity and lasting improvements for every young person.”
Leigh Middleton, OBE, CEO, National Youth Agency, Expert Advisory Group
Delivering change together
This strategy is just the beginning. We want it to spark a conversation that lasts. Supporting young people is everyone’s job - their families, teachers, youth workers, government, businesses and more. We want to work together to create a future where every young person, no matter their background, can truly thrive.
For too long the challenges facing this generation have gone unheard and unaddressed. There is no single quick fix to these problems, but by acting now and taking a radical new approach, led by young people, we can turn this around.
Youth Matters: State of the Nation Report
The National Youth Strategy would not have been possible if we had not first listened to young people and sector-experts to hear their honest reality. The insights we gathered have been published alongside the strategy in the State of the Nation Report, including regional breakdowns.
Four key themes emerged from our State of the Nation report:
-
Community, connection, and belonging: Young people want stronger connections to their communities, safe and welcoming spaces, and trust in adults and institutions.
-
Physical, mental, and digital wellbeing: Young people want access to timely mental health support and healthcare, alongside tools to navigate digital lives and also boost their confidence and sense of self.
-
Skills and opportunities for life and work: Young people want to be better prepared for their future careers through quality education, training, and meaningful job opportunities.
-
Safety and security: Young people are concerned about safety, crime and online security, and need trusted adults who can offer support to them.
We have also published research reports which you may find interesting:
The findings of these reports have directly informed the development of the Strategy.
Toolkit to help you share the Strategy with Young People
We want to ensure that more young people hear about this strategy and understand how the Government plans to support them.
We have developed a toolkit which includes a session plan and feedback form so practitioners can host sessions on the strategy with young people and feedback their thoughts directly to us.
We encourage young people to host these sessions with their peers. The toolkit will have two additional feedback forms, a form for young people and one for sector professionals to feedback on the strategy.
DCMS Youth Strategy Document
