Andy Burnham is now Prime Minister, and for youth workers the question that matters is simple: what changes for the young people you work with, and for the work itself? UK Youth’s Head of Policy and Public Affairs, Laura Cunliffe-Hall, unpacks the recent announcements and looks at what this new leadership may mean for youth work and outdoor learning.
Burnham’s record as Mayor of Greater Manchester gives us a good guide to what’s coming. In practice, “Manchesterism” means place-based policymaking, young people’s voices built into decisions from the start, and a push for clearer routes into work, education, or training. Three themes stand out for the youth sector: employment pathways, prevention, and devolution.
Opening up pathways to employment for young people
Burnham has repeatedly argued that every young person should have a clear route into employment, training or further education – a ‘path in life’.
This ambition is welcome but creating opportunities is only part of the solution. Young people also need the right support system to help empower them to identify, access, and make the most of these opportunities. That’s where youth workers come in: trusted relationships, confidence building, and emotional support that turn an opportunity into a real step forward.
At UK Youth, we know that youth workers provide vital support throughout a young person’s journey to employment, particularly to those furthest from the labour market. We have delivered multiple youth worker-led employability programmes in recent years, including Building Aspirations, Building Connections, and the Summer Jobs Programme.
Through this work, we’ve been able to demonstrate how youth workers can help young people develop valuable employability skills, build confidence, make connections, and gain meaningful work experience that enables them to take steps towards a positive future.
In UK Youth’s submission to the Milburn Review (a major government review into youth employability), we called for youth work to be embedded within employment support systems for young people. This will ensure that every young person has access not only to opportunities, but also to the support they need to succeed. We will continue to call on government to recognise youth workers as a key role supporting youth employment.
To prevent future generations of young people from becoming NEET, the Prime Minister has announced new technical education routes, in fields like AI and construction, as part of his commitment to ‘value the hard hat as much as the graduation cap’. This builds on the Greater Manchester MBacc qualification which focuses on a guarantee for every young person growing up in the region to have a clear path to good jobs and training opportunities.
What this means for youth workers: these routes will only work if youth organisations are recognised as delivery partners, not bystanders. Watch for how the technical education pathways are named and structured locally. There may be a chance to connect young people into these pathways, and to make sure they retain the flexibility to change direction if a path isn’t right for them.
It’s a welcome shift that the Prime Minister has acknowledged young people aren’t to blame for a lack of opportunity. Too often, young people tell us they’re navigating systems that don’t meet their needs.
Expanding paid, supported work experience (pairing employer placements with youth worker support) would go a long way toward making work feel like a genuine opportunity rather than something “scary” or a “punishment.”
Prevention-first approach
A ‘prevention-first approach’ will characterise this new Government, with investment in ‘building a more preventative state’ with planned reforms to the social care, housing and welfare systems to improve outcomes earlier across society.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Greater Manchester under Burnham’s leadership introduced a Young Person’s Guarantee focused on tackling digital exclusion, supporting mental health, helping young people back into education and employment, and reducing inequalities.
For the youth sector, this reflects a long-standing message: investing in young people early through trusted relationships, youth work and community support leads to better outcomes for young people and wider society.
UK Youth has long been advocating for this approach – youth work itself is a quintessential preventative intervention. It supports young people’s wellbeing, safety and is proven to make young people happier, healthier and wealthier adults in the longer-term, highlighted in our research with the Institute for Government.
What this means for youth workers: the prevention argument is one you can use locally, too: with funders, commissioners and local authorities. If your organisation isn’t already citing the UK Youth/ Institute for Government research in funding conversations, it’s worth having in your back pocket.
Growth in every postcode?
Since becoming Leader of the Labour Party and subsequently Prime Minister, Burnham has spoken regularly about delivering ‘growth in every postcode’ and is committed to devolving power away from Westminster across the UK.
A new Department for Health and Social Care North based in Leeds, following on from No 10 North set up in central Manchester, will open as part of the Prime Minister’s pledge to move power away from Whitehall and into local communities.
Every organisation in UK Youth’s network sees the impact of place-based delivery and strong local partnerships every day, building relationships that can help young people thrive and become the leaders of their communities.
However, any place-based investment needs to be allocated over a long-term period and avoid postcode lotteries to reduce inequalities. Devolution should empower local areas to respond to local needs, while ensuring every young person, regardless of postcode, can access high-quality support and opportunities. To truly deliver for young people, national ambition must be matched by clear local responsibilities and transparent oversight.
What this means for youth workers: it is more important than ever to build relationships with your local authority or combined mayoral authority. Make sure that you know who is making decisions about youth services and, more importantly, make sure that they understand the life-changing impact of the work you do.
UK Youth is involved in supporting local authorities participating in the government’s Local Youth Transformation Pilots (aimed at rebuilding the capability, relationships, and resources of local authorities to create a thriving local youth sector).
As this programme rolls out to dozens more areas, there will be further opportunities to be involved in platforming your expertise and shaping the way services are organised in your area.
Looking ahead
A new Prime Minister has a blank canvas. This is an important opportunity to work with a government that wants to do things differently. This new government is speaking the language of hope and optimism. For young people and the youth sector, this rhetoric needs to be matched by action.
UK Youth will be continuing to make youth workers’ and young people’s voices heard in our advocacy and influencing work with the new government, focusing on making the most of the momentum around young people with the delivery of the National Youth Strategy and upcoming Milburn Review on young people and work.
Get involved: if you have examples from your own practice (e.g. of employment pathways, prevention work, or excellent partnerships with local authorities) that could strengthen our case to government, we want to hear them. Email policy@ukyouth.org to share your experience and help shape what we take to government next.
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