Government partners with young people to help develop new national youth strategy
Source: gov.uk (2025-03-05)

Young voices to be at the heart of policymaking as government breaks down barriers to opportunity through Plan for Change

- Government launches national listening exercise to let young people have their say on support services, facilities and opportunities they need outside the school gates
- Through youth engagement charity My Life My Say and the #iwill Movement young people will be able to engage with Government both in-person and online.
Young people across the country will be able to have their say on decisions that affect their lives as the Government launches one of the most ambitious listening exercises in a generation today.

Ahead of the landmark National Youth Strategy, those aged 10-21 years old, and up to 25 years old for those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), will be asked to take part in a survey to hear what support services, facilities and opportunities they need outside the school gates to benefit their lives and futures.

Young people will be able to submit their views on a range of topics including what issues matter to them in their local area, what services they think should be available to young people, and how money should be spent in their area – delivering on the government’s Plan for Change to spread opportunity across the country.

Input will be collected by the Government in a range of ways including via an online survey, plus physical events including peer led focus groups known as ‘Democracy Cafes’, and workshop sessions so young people can offer views in their own words. The survey is now open here (https://www.iwill.org.uk/NYS-Deliver-You/), and will close on 16 April.

This period of consultation will inform the Government’s new National Youth Strategy, previously announced by the Culture Secretary (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-national-youth-strategy-to-break-down-barriers-to-opportunity-for-young-people), designed to prioritise delivering better coordinated youth services and policy at a local, regional and national level. It will make sure decision-making moves away from a one-size-fits all approach, handing power back to young people and their communities, and rebuilding a thriving and sustainable sector. This will help deliver on the government’s missions, spreading opportunities, making our streets safer and taking pressure off health services.

Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy said:

We are handing power back to young people and their communities, giving them a genuine opportunity to help make the policies that affect their lives.

We want to hear from young people directly through one of the most ambitious listening exercises for a generation - Today’s Youth, Tomorrow’s Nation.

We are providing young people with a genuine voice, delivering on our Plan for Change and creating opportunities in every part of the country.

Minister for Civil Society, Stephanie Peacock said:

We are breaking down the barriers to opportunity that young people face and giving them the chance to have their say - on what they want from the Government and how public policies can work for them.

I encourage all young people to fill in the survey and tell us what you think so you can help shape a brighter future for you and your generation.”

To ensure that young people’s voices are at the heart of the process throughout, the Government has appointed 13 young people to form a Youth Advisory Group (YAG). Members span multiple sectors and have experience across key areas including advocacy, violence prevention, social mobility and mental health. They include Jhemar Jones (member of London’s Violence Reduction Unit Young People’s Action Group), Yahye Abdi (Youth Development Coordinator with the Hope Collective) and Zafeera Karim (Member of Youth Parliament).

An Expert Advisory Group (EAG) will sit alongside the YAG to help guide the national conversation with young people, providing expertise and challenging thinking throughout the National Youth’s Strategy development. The group is made up of 14 experts from a variety of sectors including Isa Guha (sports presenter and founder of Cricket charity championing women and girls, Take Her Lead), Alex Holmes OBE (Deputy CEO at The Diana Award), and Paul Lindley OBE (founder of Ella’s Kitchen), among other highly experienced voices.

Young people will also be able to take part in ‘Hackathon’ events, collaborating with others alongside youth engagement experts and professional researchers to try and solve some of the most pressing issues they’re facing. Over the past few weeks, young people have been meeting at peer-led focus groups called ‘Democracy Cafés’ across the country, discussing the issues they want to see addressed.

An expert consortium of partners will facilitate the widespread engagement with young people, comprising market research consultancy Savanta; key leader in youth-led engagement in the UK, My Life My Say (MLMS); and the #iwill Movement, a social movement supporting Youth Social Action with coordination from leading civil society and social action charity Volunteering Matters and UK Youth. They will be working with ten Youth Collaborators, young people recruited to ensure all activities are genuinely co-produced.

ENDS

Additional quotes:

YAG member and Volunteer with Sea Cadet Corp Munachiso Thornton said:

It is encouraging to see that outstanding individuals from a wide range of backgrounds have been recruited for the Youth Advisory Group, and we shall endeavour to authentically represent and amplify youth experiences. It is my earnest hope that the result of our input will contribute to a strategy that truly services young people of the UK.

EAG member and Head of Artist Management at Off the Rells, Mickey Perkins said:

Young people are the future of this country, and it’s crucial that they have a direct voice in shaping the policies that impact their lives. Through the Expert Advisory Group, we are ensuring that youth engagement goes beyond a mere tick-box exercise; it’s about fostering real conversations, creating real influence, and driving real change. The survey provides a platform for young people to express their views, helping bridge the gap between the government and the next generation. This will ensure that their ideas and experiences are no longer overlooked and can play a role in shaping the national agenda.

Co-chair of #iWill Movement, Sami Gichki said:

The National Youth Strategy isn’t something that has been decided, it is open - it will be shaped by young people so that it will be fit for purpose. It is hope; hope for creating a Britain where young people don’t just survive but thrive!

Chair of Back Youth Alliance (BYA) & OnSide Chief Executive, Jamie Masraff said:

I am delighted that the Government is developing a new National Youth Strategy, something the BYA has been calling for over the last few years. This is a real opportunity to set out an overarching vision for young people that brings together priorities and recognises the importance of youth work and enrichment up and down the country.

Associate Director of Policy at Centre for Mental Health, Kadra Abdinasir said:

The forthcoming youth strategy offers a crucial opportunity to enhance support for the nation’s children and young people.Hearing from young people is essential to ground the process in their views and experiences. I’m hopeful that the strategy will be a step toward creating a more confident and supported generation that feels heard, regardless of their background, and I’m pleased to be a member of the expert advisory group helping to shape its direction

Bradley Riches autistic actor and author, Calls for Youth Voices to Shape the Future said:

As a young person who has faced challenges growing up neurodivergent, I know how important it is to feel heard and understood. This initiative is an incredible opportunity for young people to have a say in shaping the support and services that will directly impact their futures. By listening to real experiences, the Government can make meaningful changes that empower young people from all backgrounds. I encourage everyone to get involved—your voice matters, and together, we can help shape a brighter, more inclusive future.

Notes to editors:

Deliver You (http://www.iwill.org.uk/NYS-Deliver-You/) is the name of this national campaign across England, which will seek views directly from young people to inform the National Youth Strategy. The campaign, co-created with young people, is an ambitious and exciting opportunity for young people to share their views, experiences, and ideas- and to tell the Government what really matters to them. - The Deliver You campaign is powered by DCMS, #iWill Movement (https://www.iwill.org.uk/), My Life My Say (https://www.mylifemysay.org.uk/) and Savanta (https://savanta.com/) - a partnership driven by a commitment to equipping and enabling young people to shape and lead change.

Youth Advisory Group:
- Yahye Abdi, Youth Development Coordinator, The Hope Collective
- Zafeera Akarim, Member of Youth Parliament for Gloucester and Forest of Dean
- Reuben Byfield, Youth Advisory Board member, NCS Trust
- Jhemar Jones, youth worker and consultant
- Charlotte Atherton, Girlguiding Advocacy Panel
- Hilary Balogan, Girlguiding Advocacy Panel
- Sophie Pender, founder, The 93% Club and Foundation
- Serene Weibe, campaigner, boxing coach and mentor at Empire Fighting Chance
- Dan Lawes, Co-CEO of My Life My Say and an #iwill ambassador
- Sami Gichki, Co-Chair, #iwill Movement
- Joe Seddon, Founder and CEO, Zero Gravity
- Koby Davis, Youth Justice Case Manager, Leicestershire County Council
- Lauren Roberts-Turner, researcher and campaigner
- Munachiso Thornton, Volunteer with Sea Cadet Corp
Expert Advisory Group:
- Kadra Abdinasir, Associate Director of Policy at the Centre for Mental Health
- Paul Lindley OBE, entrepreneur, campaigner and author
- Professor Joht Singh Chandan, Clinical Professor of Public Health, University of Birmingham
- Alex Holmes OBE, Deputy CEO, Diana Award
- Alex Goat, CEO, Livity
- Jason Arthur, CEO, Mission 44
- Mickey Perkins, Head of Artist Management, Off the Rells
- Harris Bokhari OBE, Chair, National Citizen Service Trust
- Jonathan Hopkins, public affairs consultant
- Ciaran Thapar, Director of Public Affairs and Communications, Youth Endowment Fund
- Jamie Masraff, CEO, OnSide
- Leigh Middleton OBE, CEO, National Youth Agency
- David Knott, CEO, The National Lottery Community Fund
- Isa Guha, founder/chair of Take Her Lead and Presenter/Commentator for BBC and Fox