The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has published Youth Matters: Your National Youth Strategy, which aims to respond to the challenges faced by “the most connected and isolated generation in history.”
The launch of Youth Matters: Your National Youth Strategy marks a major moment for young people across England. It is the first long-term national youth strategy in more than twenty years, shaped by the voices of over 14,000 young people, and built to improve opportunities, wellbeing and confidence for the 10.6 million young people growing up in England today.
At its core, the strategy aims to ensure every young person has a place to go, something positive to do, and someone they can trust. These are the very things young people say they need most, and the things too many currently lack.
Young people who contributed to the strategy spoke openly about their lives. Many described feeling isolated despite being constantly connected online. Others highlighted the lack of safe, welcoming spaces where they can be themselves. And a significant number shared that they don’t have a trusted adult outside home, someone they can turn to for advice, support or simply a listening ear.
The national picture reinforces this, youth services have seen major reductions over the last decade, leading to fewer youth workers, fewer open doors and fewer opportunities. These gaps have had the biggest impact on young people in communities that already face disadvantage.
‘’Between 2010 and 2023, local spending on youth services in England fell by 73% to £1.2 billion lower now than in 2010. In that period, more than 1,000 youth centres closed and more than 4,500 youth worker roles were lost.’’ – Youth Matters: Your National Youth Strategy
The National Youth Strategy sets out to change this, with clear long-term commitments to rebuild youth infrastructure, strengthen the youth workforce and expand opportunities for young people to access enriching activities, support and trusted relationships.
Young people need:
- Places where they feel safe and welcome
- Adults who listen without judgement
- Opportunities to build confidence, friendships and skills
- Support during the moments that matter most
Safe spaces offer stability in a world that can feel overwhelming. Youth workers build trust, notice when something is wrong, provide encouragement, and help young people find their voice. They are often the first adults a young person trusts outside their family, and sometimes the first who help them see their potential.
The strategy responds to this by committing to strengthening the youth workforce and ensuring more young people gain access to a trusted adult. The goal is ambitious: half a million more young people with a trusted adult outside their home over the next decade.
Youth Matters sets a powerful national direction, but the difference will be felt locally, in communities, in relationships, and in the everyday experiences of young people. That’s why projects like 224 Youth Zone are so crucial.
224 Youth Zone will open as one of the most significant youth developments in Bristol’s history. It will provide:
- A safe, inclusive and inspiring space open seven days a week
- Access to sports, arts, music, digital media, enterprise and life skills
- Wellbeing and mental health support
- Hot meals, creative spaces, mentoring and youth-led programmes
- A team of skilled, consistent youth workers
- Low-cost membership so every young person can join
Co-designed with young people, putting their ideas, creativity and priorities at the heart of the building and the programme, this isn’t a short-term project, it is a long-term investment in young people’s lives, providing stability, opportunity and belonging for generations to come.
224 Youth Zone will join the OnSide Network of Youth Zones, a national model widely recognised for delivering exceptional outcomes for young people.
Across the OnSide Network:
- Youth Zones support over 50,000 young people every year
- Young people report increased confidence, reduced loneliness, improved wellbeing and stronger resilience
- Young People report positive changes in mental health after building relationships with youth workers
- Young people are supported into education, training and employment through targeted programmes and mentoring
- Families report that their children are happier, more active and more connected since joining
Youth Zones also provide something young people repeatedly say they struggle to access: consistent, year-round support.
The evidence is clear, when young people have a safe space, opportunities and trusted adults, their outcomes improve dramatically. By joining the OnSide Network, 224 Youth Zone brings this proven model to South Bristol for the first time.
“Youth Matters reflects what young people have been telling us for years, they need real places to go and real people they can trust. Safe spaces and youth workers are not optional; they are vital. They give young people the stability and support they deserve.”
“We’ve seen the impact that Youth Zones have across the country, young people grow in confidence, build friendships, try new things and gain support that can genuinely change the direction of their lives. 224 Youth Zone will bring that same transformational opportunity to South Bristol.”
Matt Justice, 224 Youth Zone CEO
The National Youth Strategy sets out a powerful vision for the future. But change happens in places, in buildings full of laughter and activity, in conversations between youth workers and young people, and in the confidence-built week after week.
As we gear up to open 224 Youth Zone, we stand ready to turn that national ambition into something real, meaningful and lasting.
For young people in South Bristol, a new chapter is beginning, one built on opportunity, support, connection and hope.
Read the full publication here.