15 December 2025
The Back Youth Alliance strongly welcomes the National Youth Strategy as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rebuild and strengthen the essential youth services that support young people across the country.
We are pleased to see Government recognise the transformative role that youth work and enrichment play in young people’s lives, and to see a Strategy that has been genuinely shaped by the views, ideas, and experiences of young people from every corner of England.
From the outset, we called for a truly cross-government National Youth Strategy with youth work and enrichment at its heart – co-produced with young people and backed by a bold paid and volunteer workforce development plan. The Strategy meets these asks and clearly articulates the unique role youth workers play in supporting young people to feel safe, supported and able to thrive.
Youth work and enrichment are proven to be life changing; improving wellbeing, educational attainment, and safety. They also provide the skills and confidence young people need to thrive in life and work.
Youth work and enrichment are not a luxury. Young people need this Strategy to succeed – for their futures and for the country’s future. Government must ensure that every young person, wherever they live and whatever their background, has access to the opportunities, support, and safe spaces they need. That means properly resourcing local authorities and voluntary organisations to deliver a high-quality universal youth work and enrichment offer, alongside targeted provision for young people with additional needs. Support for young people must be joined up across formal education, health and out-of-school community settings. Meaningful investment announced in the Strategy is welcome and highly-needed, and it must mark the start of continued, long-term and sustainable investment in the youth sector.
For this Strategy to succeed, it must act as the central framework into which all major commitments align, providing clear docking points for youth services and local systems. This includes the enrichment entitlement underpinned by the Enrichment Framework; the £820m Youth Guarantee; a long-term workforce development plan; universal and targeted provision; embedded mental health and wellbeing support; strengthened youth voice and participation; digital inclusion and safe spaces; and a commitment to building and sharing the evidence base. The Strategy must also join up with wider cross-government agendas, including the Child Poverty Strategy, the NHS 10-Year Health Plan and the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy.
The National Youth Strategy must mark the end of a 15-year 73% decline in youth services since 2010 and the start of a sustained partnership between Government and the youth sector. This reflects the commitment made by Government in the Civil Society Covenant. After years of underfunding and cuts, rebuilding the youth work ecosystem will require long-term commitment, clear accountability measures and strong cross-government and cross-sector collaboration.
We look forward to working with Government as a delivery partner and await further detail on the metrics and milestones that will define success over the Strategy’s 10-year lifespan. We will also continue to work with both Government and The National Lottery Community Fund on unlocking Dormant Assets funding to support youth services and enrichment opportunities for young people throughout the lifecycle of the National Youth Strategy. Organisations across the Back Youth Alliance will continue to champion young people’s voices and provide an ongoing feedback loop to monitor the Strategy’s impact in both the short and long term.
Our collective vision is simple: a future in which all young people feel safe, respected and heard. We stand ready to work with Government to make that vision a reality through the implementation of the National Youth Strategy.