27 October 2025
This year, UK Youth attended the Liberal Democrat, Labour and Conservative Party Conferences, with staff and our incredible #iwill ambassadors representing the organisation. This is a brilliant opportunity for UK Youth to speak to policymakers and share our insights on why government needs to invest in youth work as a solution.
Liberal Democrat Conference
It was encouraging for conference to kick off with passing a motion to back youth work and its role in supporting our communities. The motion directly referenced our UK Youth economic analysis with Frontier Economics, showing that for every £1 invested in youth work, the return on investment for society is between £3.20 and £6.40.
We’ve been working closely on developing the motion with their Education Policy team and to see it become formal Lib Dem policy highlights the party’s commitment to supporting the life-changing role youth work plays in the lives of young people.
The MPs attending were really up for engagement and thoughtful conversations around the role of youth work as a preventative intervention and how they can continue to support the sector and young people building up to the National Youth Strategy. We met with Tom Morrison, Ben Maguire and Zoe Franklin, the MPs for Cheadle, North Cornwall and Guildford respectively.
It was also a pleasure to come together with friends and partners across the youth sector at an excellent National Youth Agency The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award reception where we heard a moving speech from Lucy, a DofE Youth ambassador on what youth work has meant to her in the most challenging of times.
Steff Aquarone MP, Max Wilkinson MP, Liberal Democrat DCMS Spokesperson and Munira Wilson MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Education, Children and Families also reinforced the party’s commitment to young people.
Labour Party Conference
It was a week full of thoughtful discussions, deep reflection, and meaningful conversations—especially around the themes of community cohesion and intergenerational connection. As the conference progressed, it was clear that young people were central to Labour’s vision for the future.
In his keynote speech, the Prime Minister referenced youth clubs multiple times, acknowledging the transformative role youth work plays—not just in the lives of young people, but across wider communities. While this recognition is a positive sign, it must translate into genuine policy shifts which we continue to advocate for, particularly ahead of the upcoming National Youth Strategy.
There were early signs of progress, including:
These are steps in the right direction—but we know much more is needed.
Our Head of Policy Laura chaired a panel in partnership with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award on the mental and physical benefits of outdoor learning with Phil Brickell, the MP for Bolton West. Laura also met with Education Minister Georgia Gould, who highlighted the value of youth work. Our CEO Rosie also spoke on a youth-led Mayor’s Fund for London panel on the importance of amplifying youth voice.
Our ambassadors Ella-Lucy and Tamar met with Josh Dean MP (Hertford and Stortford), who highlighted how youth work positively shaped his journey into politics. Their conversation touched on impactful programmes like the Young Futures Programme, and how government can work together with the youth sector.
In partnership with Shout Out UK and Full Fact, we also hosted a powerful youth-led panel on democracy with former ministers and MPs from across the UK, chaired by Guardian Journalist Aletha Adu. From Votes at 16 to youth service funding, the discussion was dynamic and solution-focused. In fact, it went so well that a Parliamentary Select Committee is now exploring how to replicate the session in Parliament—a real testament to youth-led advocacy.
Conservative Party Conference
This was the most subdued of the three party conferences this year, with a quieter exhibition hall and lower MP visibility. However, youth-focused fringes remained well-attended and highly engaged, showing sustained interest in youth policy despite broader political tensions. The Conservatives have made verbal commitments to developing a stronger bolder offer for young people – this now needs to be followed up with tangible, long-term policy.
Our Head of Policy spoke on a panel hosted by UK Youth in collaboration with AQA, featuring our fantastic #iWill Ambassador Bill Curtis. The discussion focused on the role of youth work as a critical bridge between education and employment, advocating for stronger partnerships between schools and youth services to improve social mobility and skills development.
We also repeated our event with Shout Out UK and Full Fact, where Bill grillled Conservative Shadow Ministers for Housing, Tech and Health on votes at 16, youth service cuts and housing issues (plus a brief segue into cats and TikToks) – BBC covered quotes from our event here.
Cross-Conference Insight
Across all party conferences, the message is clear: No party can afford to ignore young people or the services that support them.
We must continue to focus on the need to break down silos in policymaking and end short-termism to build stronger community cohesion and intergenerational ties.
We’ll be taking forward insights from all three conferences to influence a more coherent and impactful policy landscape for young people. This includes sharing feedback with partners, informing upcoming policy papers and our influencing work around the National Youth Strategy, and maintaining cross-sector dialogue.
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