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Back to newsLast month, the UK Government published a report on the experiences, needs, challenges, and hopes of young people in England and Wales. But what did it say? Let us give you a whistlestop tour!
This comprehensive document analyses data from the Youth Matters survey of 14,000 young people aged between 10-21 (up to 25 with SEN/D) and other published secondary research (e.g., Good Childhood Report, NHS data, etc.). The report forms the basis of the recently published Youth Matters Government strategy and outlines the current state of young people in the nation.
It highlights four key areas for action
- Community, connection, and belonging: Young people seek stronger ties to their communities, safe and welcoming spaces, and trust in adults and institutions. Many of them feel unhappy with politics and want chances to be heard themselves.
- Physical, mental, and digital wellbeing: Access to timely mental health support and healthcare, alongside tools to navigate digital lives and also boost their confidence and sense of self.
- Skills and opportunities for life and work: There is a desire for better preparation for future careers through quality education, training, and meaningful job opportunities.
- Safety and security: Concerns about safety, crime and online security are prevalent, with a need for trusted adults who can offer support and guidance.
This is another report that highlights the value of safe informal spaces within young people’s communities for them to gather, have fun and build natural, trusted relationships of choice with adults outside of their family. Young people themselves said they wanted the Government to focus on lowering living costs and improving opportunities for young people, on providing more fun activities and more mental health support in schools.
It also points out inequalities in young people’s experiences today, reminding us that we need to look beyond the generalised data to understand the experiences of minority groups.
It’s well worth a look, but you don’t have to read the entire document — it’s quite lengthy! There is a very brief bullet point summary and a slightly longer Executive Summary at the beginning of the report. Thanks to the helpful menu structure, you can also jump through to the sections you are more interested in. Why not take a look and reflect on whether this marries up with the experiences of young people in your context, and whether you think the Government’s Strategy responds to the points of action in their report?
