We are delighted to share the Delivering the National Youth Strategy Together report.
The report is a summary of the Regional Roadshows held across England in January to March. With our partners at DCMS, NYA and the Regional Youth Work Units, we held ten regional roadshows and one online event with over 1,300 thousand attendees. Each Roadshow was designed to build on the momentum across the sector after the launch of the National Youth Strategy.
Each session was designed to:
- build shared understanding of the National Youth Strategy,
- explore its three shifts and three chapters,
- surface regional barriers and identify opportunities.
The sessions created space to strengthen cross-sector collaboration, build stronger relationships and start having honest conversations about what implementation could look like in practice. They gave partners an early opportunity to begin shaping approaches that feel genuinely local, rooted in the realities of their communities and centred around the needs and experiences of young people.
The demand to be part of the conversations resulted in attendance from a wide selection of sectors including from youth services, education, health, community safety, arts organisations, charities and voluntary groups.
What came through consistently was that people are ready for change. There is real motivation across the sector to work differently, collaborate more effectively and continue to place young people’s voices at the centre of decision making.
But alongside that optimism was a clear message: ambition alone is not enough. Attendees repeatedly stressed that meaningful delivery will only happen if national vision is matched with long-term investment, sustainable structures, recognition of youth work as a profession, and genuine power-sharing with young people and local systems.
Nemmy Johnston, Head of Network Development, said: “The regional roadshows, delivered in partnership with NYA and the Network of Regional Youth Work Units, created an important space for the sector to come together, reflect and build a shared understanding of what this landmark moment means for young people and youth work. We heard honest conversations about the challenges that need to be addressed for the National Youth Strategy to succeed in practice.
The report highlights key themes that consistently emerged throughout the roadshows, including the need for long-term and equitable funding, stronger recognition of youth work as a profession, clearer implementation frameworks, and greater involvement of young people and local systems in decision-making. It also reinforced the importance of collaboration across sectors and the need to ensure local approaches are grounded in the realities of communities and the experiences of young people themselves.”
These insights must help shape what happens next — both in terms of local mobilisation and national influencing. We remain committed to continuing to amplify the voices, concerns and experiences of our networks, and to ensuring that implementation reflects both the barriers and opportunities identified throughout the roadshow process.
One of the strongest themes throughout the roadshow was the desire to understand how national ambition will translate into practical change at a local level. While participants welcomed the Strategy’s direction and emphasis on local leadership, many also raised concerns around clarity including considerations around the potential for impact around devolution.
Funding itself was a major focus of discussion. Many participants highlighted that current funding models can disadvantage rural, coastal and semi-rural communities because they rely too heavily on more macro measures such as population size and deprivation indices. The ‘postcode’ lottery of funding is one that impacts communities across the country- by changing the national approach to one where the local data shapes opportunities will ensure investment and funding reaches more young people.
Another recurring message was the need for funding models that support sustainability rather than short-term projects. Participants called for longer funding cycles, support for core operational costs, greater flexibility in delivery and investment in staff wellbeing, supervision and development. There was also a strong push for more transparent and equitable funding distribution and localised decision making, with young people and practitioners having greater influence through co-production, devolved budgets and stronger local partnerships.
Conversations about the role of youth workers consistently featured. Across the events there were strong calls to better protect and invest in youth work as a profession. The need to protect the title of youth worker, create clearer and properly funded pathways into the profession, and ensure apprenticeships genuinely work in practice. There was also recognition that trusted adults, volunteers and mentors all have a vital role to play, but that this should complement — not replace — qualified youth workers.
Across the country, youth workers are changing – and often saving – young lives. They are trusted adults helping young people find confidence, connection, purpose, and joy.
The Roadshows created space for honest conversations locally about what is needed to make the National Youth Strategy succeed in practice. The openness shown by DCMS officials to engage directly with the sector, answer difficult questions and listen to challenge was widely appreciated across the events.
There is no shortage of energy, commitment or ideas across the youth sector. The challenge now is maintaining that momentum and turning ambition into action.
Delivery will depend not only on investment, but on long-term partnership, transparency and trust. Continued communication, meaningful collaboration and keeping young people involved in shaping solutions will be essential if the Strategy is to move from vision to real change in communities across the country.
We’re committed to continuing to use the insights from this report to help shape and influence the ongoing development of the National Youth Strategy. We will keep listening, amplifying grassroots voices and concerns, and working alongside the sector and partners to ensure young people are equal partners in shaping change.
By continuing to work together and commit to leading change collectively, we can move closer to our shared vision: a society that backs every young person through every spark, struggle and success.
Find out more and read the report
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