By Laura Cunliffe-Hall and Grace Bellerose
This year, UK Youth attended five political party conferences for the first time, including Reform UK, Liberal Democrats, Labour, the Green Party and the Conservatives taking place across Birmingham, Brighton and Liverpool.
Our Head of Policy and Public Affairs Laura Cunliffe-Hall, Policy and Public Affairs Officer Grace Bellerose, Youth Participation Team Members Banseka Kayembe and Elle Williams and #iWill Ambassadors Jayden, Charlotte and Yashneil ensured young people and youth work were at the forefront of conversations with policymakers.
Through panels, roundtables and fringe events, we highlighted the importance of trained and trusted adults, meaningful opportunities and sustained investment in youth services.
Across the conferences, a clear message emerged: young people need stronger youth services that help them navigate challenges, build relationships and succeed in life.
Reform UK Conference: Local authority transformation
Reform UK Conference in Birmingham focused on what the party would do within its first 100 days in government, with panel events focusing on local government reorganisation, youth unemployment and the education system.
Speakers including former Conservative MP Ben Bradley and the leaders of councils in Kent and Lincolnshire highlighted the pressures facing local government and the need to rethink how services are delivered. Youth services featured in discussions about the need to rebuild and restructure provision while addressing financial shortfalls.
This was a party very much still experiencing growing pains, including controversy leading to the departures of senior figures as the conference began, and the policy platform for young people still needs to be developed in much more detail at both a local and national level.
Liberal Democrat Conference: The importance of prevention
Liberal Democrat Conference included a wide range of fringe events focused on young people, with opportunities to share experiences and shape discussions on enrichment, wellbeing and the growing number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET).
Our Policy and Public Affairs Officer Grace engaged in an insightful conversation with London Assembly Member Hina Bokhari OBE about the impact of the “bedroom generation”, the loss of youth spaces and opportunities for outdoor play, and the role outdoor learning and enrichment can play in young people’s development.
Prevention and early intervention were recurring themes. At a Centre for Social Justice fringe event, delegates heard that 37% of 15-year-olds are already disengaged from education, prompting discussion around the findings of the Milburn Review and the case for investing earlier to improve outcomes for young people. Contributions from Munira Wilson MP and Josh Babarinde MP highlighted both the scale of the challenges facing young people and the opportunities to address them through targeted support.
We also heard about Jo Hawley’s new Liberal Democrat think tank and its potential role in shaping future policy.
The conference concluded with a reception hosted by the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and Youth Futures Foundation, where a young person shared their experience of benefiting from enrichment opportunities. Their story was a powerful reminder of the difference that enrichment and outdoor learning can make in developing confidence, skills and future opportunities.
Labour Party Conference: Joining up the support offer for young people
This year’s Labour Conference felt like the growing momentum around young people and youth work is beginning to translate into genuine policy action.
The Prime Minister in his keynote speech highlighted the destructive impact of cuts to youth services on young people and reiterated that he is making the political choice to invest in young people.
The conference also saw renewed political attention on youth services, including the announcement of 1000 new youth workers from Lisa Nandy, Secretary of State for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, tying into the Government’s work on employability. This is an important shift the sector has worked hard for.
However, turning this ambition into meaningful change will depend on sustained funding, effective implementation and joined-up support.
Trained and trusted adults and employment
UK Youth and Youth Futures Foundation hosted a panel on how trained and trusted adults, including youth workers, can unlock opportunities for young people.
Our Head of Policy and Public Affairs, Laura, and #iWill Movement Ambassador Jayden joined Euan Stainbank MP for Falkirk, Sarah Yong, Interim Deputy CEO of Youth Futures Foundation, Shana, a Youth Futures Foundation youth ambassador, and Derren Hayes, Editor of Children and Young People Now.
The discussion highlighted the importance of trusted relationships in helping young people build confidence, navigate barriers and move towards employment. It also reinforced the need for employers, Government and the youth sector to work together and listen to what young people need to succeed.
Platforming young changemakers
The launch of Young Liverpool showcased the power of place-based collaboration between youth organisations and partners. Young Liverpool’s youth ambassador Ruby chaired a policy discussion where our Head of Policy and Public Affairs Laura highlighted the need for youth voice and young people’s lived experiences to shape future policy, building on the National Youth Strategy.
Our #iWill ambassadors, Laura and Elle also met with MPs including Terry Jermy, Dr Jeevun Sandher, Abena Oppong-Asare and Kim Johnson, alongside ministers, young people and Back Youth Alliance partners at other fringe events to make the case for investment in youth services and opportunities for young people to inspire lasting change.
Green Party Conference: Putting local solutions first
At this year’s Green Party Conference in Brighton, many of the most engaging discussions on young people and education were led by partners and organisations working across the sector. The National Education Union helped drive conversations on education reform, the challenges facing young people, and the opportunities to build a system that better supports their futures.
With the Green Party continuing to attract support from younger voters, discussions explored what this growth could mean for the party and its future direction. Reflections from former Green Party leader, Baroness Natalie Bennet, offered valuable insight into the party’s development, its appeal among younger generations and the future of the Green Party.
One of the standout sessions featured Zoe Garbett, Mayor of Hackney, who spoke about the practical challenges facing communities and the importance of local solutions. Her insights highlighted how councils can respond to issues affecting young people, from inequality and access to opportunities to creating healthier, more sustainable communities.
Overall, the conference provided a valuable opportunity to hear from campaigners, education leaders and politicians about the role that policymakers, educators and local leaders can play in creating positive change for young people that starts at a grassroots level.
Conservative Party Conference: Employment pathways, digital inclusion and cross-sector collaboration
At a much more upbeat Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham compared to the previous year, UK Youth continued our work with Youth Futures Foundation to explore how trained and trusted adults can help young people navigate the transition into employment.
Our private roundtable brought together youth sector representatives, councillors and cross-sector partners to consider how support can better reflect young people’s needs and help them access meaningful opportunities.
The contribution of our #iWill Movement Ambassador Yashneil powerfully highlighted the need for the youth sector, employers & Government to collaborate & listen to adapt to what young people need to succeed.
Digital inclusion was another important theme. At a panel organised by AQA, Yashneil joined young ambassadors from AQA’s Student Advisory Group and representatives from The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award to discuss digital literacy, artificial intelligence and the challenges young people face moving from education into employment.
Discussions around the proposed social media ban also raised the importance of providing meaningful alternatives offline. Youth services and enrichment can give young people opportunities to build relationships, develop skills and participate in their communities.
These conversations connected closely with UK Youth’s work on the Milburn Review into young people and work, particularly the need for clearer pathways into employment and support that addresses barriers such as digital exclusion.
Beyond our own events, senior political and sector perspectives featured across the conference programme, including contributions from Baroness Amanda Spielman, Rebecca Smith MP, Dame Rachel de Souza and Rt Hon Robert Halfon. The National Youth Agency also hosted a roundtable exploring how great youth work can strengthen communities.
Together, these discussions highlighted the links between strong local communities, youth provision and young people’s future opportunities. The challenge now is to turn recognition of youth work’s value into practical support and investment to not just sustain, but grow future provision.
Young people are clear about what they need & we need to be even stronger in our advocacy to make sure they are heard.
Cross-Conference Insight
Across this year’s party conference season, a common theme united discussions across all political parties: the need to improve outcomes for every young person. In particular, there was clear recognition that the growing number of young people classified as NEET is an emergency that requires urgent attention.
The conversations reinforced the importance of long-term systems thinking, joined-up policymaking and sustained investment in young people and youth services beyond short-term political cycles.
Recognition must translate into action. This means a stronger understanding of the evidence for youth work and its benefits beyond the sector, better collaboration between local authorities and voluntary and community organisations, and investment that enables youth provision to reach more young people.
Young people are clear about what they need, and their voices must continue to shape the decisions that affect them. UK Youth will use the insights gathered throughout the conference season to inform our policy and influencing work, keeping young people at the heart of the conversation.
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