£185m National Youth Strategy Announced : Rt. Hon. Lisa Nandy.
The Youth Work Common Room to work with DCMS on new development

In the announcement today development for young people across the UK, Rt. Hon. Lisa Nandy MP announced a significant funding boost for youth services. This commitment aims to address the growing need for accessible and meaningful support for young people this funding could mark a new era in how youth services operate, if there is a focus on long-term, sustainable approaches rather than quick fixes.
I have been in contact with Lisa Nandy and DCMS and will be working with DCMS in the development of the approach. I will update as this develops.
The Potential Impact of New Funding
The new funding has the potential to widen existing scope and reach with clear identification of needs based and consulted outcomes.
One of the significant concerns in our sector over recent years has been the erosion of local youth services, often due to austerity measures and economic priorities lying elsewhere. I have worked alongside many youth centres and organisations that have had to close their doors, reduce opening times, restrict specific sessions to align only to targeted interventions and whilst important, can leave young people with limited options for support, and engagement on their terms.
Drawing Down on the National Citizen Service (NCS) Model
Nandy’s announcement comes with a draw down of the National Citizen Service (NCS), this specific model was aimed at providing young people with life skills, teamwork experience, and community engagement opportunities. Although NCS has shown benefits for participants, it has also faced criticism for its limited accessibility and high costs which were then subject to reduced funding over time leading to a degree of high level promotion and reduced impact. From the inception, it has been argued that the funding allocated to NCS could have been better distributed across more local, community-based youth services, which could achieve similar or even greater benefits for young people.
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Key Benefits for Young People from the announcement and areas of consideration
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My contribution so far has indicated that the value of youth work and informal education could enable there following;
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1. Improved Mental Health and Well-being: Youth centers with the offer of a safe space for young people to express themselves, learn, and connect with peers. Our work can be invaluable in promoting mental well-being, reducing feelings of isolation, and addressing issues before they escalate.
2. Skills and Employment Readiness: Access to various educational (informal and non-formal), including those focused on skill-building, can prepare young people for the job market based upon their aspirations. Effective and professional youth work can promote opportunities for young people to gain confidence, build essential soft and hard life skills, and explore potential career pathways.
3. Community Engagement and Citizenship: Youth services blend community involvement and community cohesion and create connection in communities when well funded and resourced. Considering young people as agents of change in communities diluting the myth of folk devilism and showcasing the brilliance of young people to foster a depth of sense of community and belonging. This type of investment in young people as active actors in their communities has the long term benefit of lower crime rates, improved public health and stronger communities.
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Importance of Sustainable Funding and Co-Production with Young People
The new funding must be strategically distributed and consider the long game with regards to not funding short term projects that showcase co-production and whilst the importance of young people's participation is key - co-production is a form and model of participation (amongst many it is important to note) caution remains that we fund a contemporary buzz phrase and invest in findings as oppose to investing in funding the outcomes of the participative approaches applied. The decision making should avoid tokenistic temporality and ensure that youth service delivery is sustained post co-production phase.
The terms of reference established with young people and the outcomes need to be costed and viewed as a sustainable future for youth work and informal education and an effective co-production/participative process should not only consider young people now, but each future generation of young people.
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The potential of the statement today, should create a positive future for young people and youth work, the risk is in the mismanagement of the 'process' and 'product' of how social informal education is viewed and the expectations placed upon the sector to conform within the funding guidance. The Youth Work Common Room involvement will be documented on the channel with updates on what is taking place.
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but have your say too on these important topics.
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Add your own views in The Youth Work Common Room members area by choosing the door on the homepage and registering for free with your own unique login.
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Secretary of State Announcement: Published 12th Novemberr2024
Lisa Nandy MP Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport : Young People & Youth Work

Lisa Nandy MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has indicated in a recent statement on the importance of youth engagement and empowerment offers a timely reflection on the state of young people in society and could visualise significant changes for the youth sector. Although we need to see if the upcoming budget projects the ideas into action, the value of the statement in the House of Commons create influence and encourages ongoing conversations.
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The Statement: Amplifying Youth Voices
Nandy has emphasised the need for young people to not only have a seat at the table but to act as the shapers of the future of society through active involvement. She stresses that young people should be seen as co-creators of solutions to the problems that affect them, not just passive recipients of policies crafted by older generations. This is a powerful shift in language and narrative, acknowledging that young people are already driving change in areas like climate activism, social justice movements, and technological innovation.
In one of her key remarks, Nandy stated:​
“If we want to build a better, fairer future, we must listen to the experiences, ideas, and concerns of our young people. They are the ones who will live through the consequences of today’s decisions, and they must have a say in shaping them.”
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Implications for the Youth Sector
Nandy’s statement aligns with a broader call for systemic change in how the youth sector operates and has been forced to respond, working with constraint upon contraint, narrowing reach and scope. Traditionally, youth work has challenged the principle that the reliance on top-down approaches, where adults make decisions for young people without meaningful consultation. Nandy’s vision challenges this, advocating for a more inclusive framework that prioritises the lived experiences of young people.
This could translate into several significant changes for the youth sector:
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1. Co-production of Services and Policies: Youth services could begin to adopt a more collaborative approach, where young people are actively involved in the design and delivery of services that affect them. This would create more tailored services that resonate with the real needs of young people. Moving from targeted to tailored however, does not resonate with increase.
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2. Increased Investment in Youth-Led Initiatives: Nandy’s statement could also prompt policymakers to allocate more funding to youth-led initiatives and youth work organisations. When young people are given the resources and autonomy to lead, they can develop innovative solutions to the issues they face, whether it’s mental health, education, or employment.
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3. Prioritising Representation: More young people could be appointed to leadership roles within organisations and local governments. This is a recurrence of a strategy under Transforming Youth Work (2002) agenda some years ago. By placing young people in decision-making positions, we ensure that voices are not only heard but acted upon.
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4. Focus on Intersectionality: Nandy’s progressive stance implies a commitment to addressing the unique challenges faced by marginalised young people, including those from ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ communities, and economically disadvantaged backgrounds. This could lead to more targeted support systems and services. Whilst we have no detail or clarity on the statement, it would seem that to enhance services, there has to be a economic increase to develop existing services.
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The Road Ahead
While Lisa Nandy’s statement is a positive step, it’s important to recognise that systemic change will require sustained effort. The youth sector, alongside policymakers, must be willing to invest in infrastructure, training, and capacity-building to make co-production and youth-led initiatives the norm. This also involves challenging the status quo within organizations that are resistant to change. There are existing examples across the country of what Nandy's discusses and perhaps this is where the key points have been drawn from, the challenge is the available funding to support any development.
However, if Nandy’s call to action is taken seriously, it could inspire a new era in youth work—one where young people are not just beneficiaries of services but powerful agents of change. i remain hopeful, whilst cautious.
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Lisa Nandy’s focus on young people underscores the potential for a transformative shift in how we approach youth work and youth policy. Her statement reflects a growing recognition that young people are essential partners in building a more equitable and inclusive society. For the youth sector, this may mean evolving from a model that merely serves young people to one that collaborates with them as equals. The ripple effect of this could be felt not just in policy but in how young people experience their place in the world.
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Add your own views in The Youth Work Common Room members area by choosing the door on the homepage and registering for free with your own unique login.
Follow this LINK
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Secretary of State Statement : Published 21st October 2024
Engaging Dad's Training

The Youth Work Common Room will be delivering Engaging Dad's Training for United Youth Alliance and BetterStart Blackpool over the next period with a series of face to face or online events to support the the development of practice in working and engaging with Dad's.
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This training is open to practitioners and leaders across Blackpool and the Fylde Coast.
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This amazing project has been co-created and co-designed with our Dads and creates a platform in the training to discuss the lived experiences of Dads engagement with practitioners and organisations and highlights the learning to create positive changes we can make to better support children through developed practice the provides voice and agency and improved outcomes for families.
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Use the contact us form for more information or the link below for dates and booking. The first training event will be on 16th December 2024
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Link to the first training event and all the dates is HERE
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Engaging Dads Training : Published 16th October 2024
The Youth Work Common Room Podcast Channel on YouTube

The Youth Work Common Room is developing a podcast series on Youtube. Make sure you subscribe, like and share to raise profile as we get ready to release #youthwork and #informaleducation content to support practice development.
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Use the contact us form or comment on the YouTube channel to suggest content, direction and what you want to see and hear in this space.
Remember to register in The Youth Work Common Room members area so that you can contribute and connect with the field on topical areas of youth work and informal education.
Visit the YouTube channel HERE
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Podcast Channel Youth Work Common Room : Published 24 September 2024
Advertise in The Youth Work Common Room
You can now advertise in The Youth Work Common Room and improve reach to a youth work audience.
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Do you have jobs, event or campaign to promote? Advertising through The Youth Work Common Room website and Social Media feeds may be a perfect way for you to market and advertise.
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Use the Contact Us form or email to discuss advertising rates.

Advertise in The Youth Work Common Room : Published 11 September 2024
By Any Means Possible (BAMP)
Podcast Resource

BAMP Podcasts : Published 11 September 2024
By Any Means Possible (BAMP!)
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Youth Focus North West have become the archive for the podcast resource, a series of insightful narrative podcasts from Sally, Mary and Janet.
More on the BAMP project from the creators:
"During lockdown, a group of older women who had worked, or are working, in Wigan Youth Service from around the 1980's, got together over Zoom to look at how their stories could be recorded to document their experiences and promote youth work.
Everything from growing up in working class communities, the limitation of resources and how reflection of the struggles and joys of working with young people."
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The podcast series is invaluable and recognises the journeys and pathways, challenges, successes and captures real life stories to support a reflective consideration of practice today and the development made, alongside the more we have to do!
The Apple Podcast link to the resources is via the following link;
for contact with the BAMP team, please use the following email address
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National Youth Agency Launches
Youth Work Week
Monday 4th to Sunday 10th November 2024
NYA YWW24: Published 4th September 2024

The National Youth Agency has announced the dates and theme for Youth Work Week 2024.
"A Right To Youth Work For All: Delivering Positive Futures For Young People"
'The Art of Youth Work' focus invites youth centres and youth provision to showcase their work alongside young people though the arts as a medium on the run up to #YWW24 providing opportunity to showcase the amazing work that take place using youth work and informal education.
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NYA have provided campaign and publicity guidance on the website
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The link to the National Youth Agency Information on #YouthWorkWeek24 can be found HERE
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Federation for Detached Youth Work Regional Conference : Evolution
19th October 2024

The Federation for Detached Youth Work will be holding a regional conference. The booking link for the conference is below.
Mike Collyer (Vice Chair FDYW) invites you to the second West Midlands Federation for Detached Youth Work conference, focusing on the theme of “Evolution.” This year, we will explore how our communities have transformed over time, from vibrant street art to diverse shops and poignant memorials.
As detached youth workers, we face the challenge of integrating our efforts with the dynamic changes in our communities. How can we help young people feel connected and understand what community means to them? What does community look like for the youth we serve?
Join us on 19th October at Conegrye Art Centre from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm as we delve into these questions and more. The morning session will feature two keynote speakers, followed by afternoon workshops covering topics such as:
Bringing fun into our work with young people
Assessing risks in our work
Hearing from young people about their experiences with detached youth work
Ticket Information: You can purchase your ticket on the day using debit/credit card or cash. Alternatively, you can use the Eventbrite link below to secure your ticket online:
Eventbrite Link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/evolution-regional-conference-tickets-956515582857?aff=ebdsshsms&utm_share_source=listing_android
Fed Conference News: Published 3rd September 2024