#YouthVoiceNews 8th July | Govt Youth Strategy Update: New – Insights from Young People & Next Steps

Welcome to #YouthVoice News and Opportunities – a regular roundup from the world of youthvoice, participation and influence

This week: | Govt Youth Strategy Special DCMS update –  including insights from young people and next steps.. | plus #Votesat1y6Watch, and this weeks selection of opportunities thanks to  Youth Opportunities | YouthVoice News is produced by Young Voices Heard CIC as a non-profit venture, and edited by a volunteer.

YOUTHVOICE HEARD – NEWS

⚡Youth Strategy (DCMS) update 4th July 

Kayleigh Wainwright (Head of Youth Strategy Engagement DCMS) gave an update outlining what will be in the forthcoming interim report Todays Youth Tomorrows Nation, insights from the consultation of young people, next steps, and answered questions. The session, attended by over 70, was hosted as part of a UK Youth ‘Network Engagement Session” webinar . UK Youth also presented their policy work updates and a 10 point Test checklist of their expectations of the Youth Strategy. [To find out more about the UK Youth policy network contact policy@ukyouth.org]

• • She confirmed that the interim report “Todays Youth Tomorrows Nation” would be launched at an appropriate diary window in the next few weeks and the final report in “late summer early autumn”.
  • The Interim Report will not contain policy recommendations but will present “what young people are saying”
  • The report has been shared internally to other departments so that its insights will inform and influence policy solutions.
  • During the summer a process of “consolidation” of departmental responses in the light of their financial settlements, will “feed into” the final report that “will speak to outcomes across young peoples lives”.
  • Minister Peacock (DCMS)  has been chairing a Ministerial group including Education, Home Office, Health, Transport, DWP, Housing Communities and Local Government (which is also leading on votes at 16 legislation).
  • “We are also working really closely with No 10 as this is one of their top priorities”
  • The Sec of State also wants to see how young people can “hold us to account – the Government, local government , service providers” as the strategy will be “theirs”.

We will have to wait for the full Interim report to be published to get the detail but headline insights from young people include that they feel that ‘don’t have a voice on issues that affect them’ ; and key challenges that stand out are that they have ‘low levels of connection, in person-participation and sense of belonging’. They are most worried about friends/social life, education, money and the future – perhaps not surprisingly, and the one thing that would make day to day life easier is lower living costs. Accessibility to opportunities and support are also top issues – such as knowledge about what’s available and how to get to it (transport).

The range of topics covered, and everyday issues highlighted, perhaps indicate that the range of youth-led consultation methods, succeeded in reaching a broad cross-section of young people, not just those in contact with youth sector or services. It will be interesting to see the whether this is broken down reports data and whether regional, age (10-21), urban or rural priorities will differ. The issue of transport is perhaps a good example of the reach and depth of a youth-led the consultation, as it is something that has frequently featured as common to all young people, in youth-led consultations in the past, by local youth councils, BYC and UKYP. Ed]

In answer to questions from she confirmed that the Strategy would:

• • Include a “You Said We Did” feedback section for young people on how their input through consultation informs the final report, for both the short and longer-term of the 10 year strategy.
  • Young people would still be involved in shaping the narrative of the strategy during next steps.
  • The concepts of  “youth ‘power’ ‘agency’ and ‘voice’ would be a central part of the strategy – “Young people have fed in many suggestions of what that looks like, not just one thing, but many ways young people should be engaged”
  • There will be an opportunity following the launch for people to react and share with DCMS over the summer (to be announced) examples of “good practice, case studies, evidence around emerging themes like intervention or provision, and peoples thoughts on how to move to solutions. Kayleigh invited people to feedback on this last point about how they would best like to engage with this process – webinars, Q&As. [contact details below]

Comment: The Governments co-production approach to consultation has produced a rich source of information and insight from young people that the DCMS and its Ministers want to use to inform and influence policy solutions and coordinate across Government departments. Its ambitious in wanting to reach across departments and having a Ministerial group across so many departments is indicates a willingness to at least have a joined up holistic report. Have the support of No 10, reflects a higher profile and commitment to acknowledging and embracing young people aspirations but No 10 has a lot on its plate – and resourcing will of course be a challenge.  The section “You said – We did” will therefore reveal the extent to which young people views nudge policy priorities in any particular or new direction. Similarly – the desire to have a system of holding the Government and decision-makers to account implies the publication of outcomes within a timeframe, to be held accountable to.

When this process was announced last November the Government promised that the new National Youth Strategy would be designed to put the views of young people at the centre of decision-making on policies that affect them “by young people, for young people” and “will 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”.  The team could not be specific at this stage about whether the strategy commit to restore a national youth council (closed since March 2024) and match it with a ongoing system of structured dialogue with Ministers, or whether it would revisit LA Guidance (Education Act 96 Section 507b) on how they take steps to ascertain the views of young people local on the provision of youth services. However we were reassured that the “youth voice, power and agency, in many different ways would feature” – so this hasn’t been ruled out.  One of UK Youth s 10 tests for the Youth Strategy states it will not just be “admiring the problems but developing specific approaches to tackle them”. This will require resource, capacity, and an action plan with outcome indicators if the aspiration that young people will empowered to hold them to account is realised.  And what will the Governments ongoing role be?  Will the  Ministerial group chaired by a lead Minister continue to coordinate the delivery, and be a focal point for youth voice scrutiny and dialogue? When I specifically asked if previous and ongoing calls for a coordinating Youth Minister was on the agenda, it was  confirmed that its  “currently outside the scope of the strategy” but that they would take away this suggestion.

The team continue to be in listening mode. They’ve invited a response to the interim report with ideas, evidence and shared good practice to help shape policy solutions. This leaves the door open for a range of suggestions from  stakeholders and young leaders. Lets use it. JC/Ed

Stakeholders and young leaders can contact the team at DCMS  by email youth@dcms.gov.uk and/or sign up to the DCMS Youth Team Newsletter for all current youth policy updates and opportunities.

⚡Dormant Assets Fund – will be ‘youth voice’ informed

Kayleigh also confirmed that the next round of Dormant Assets Fund (£132.5m from 2026 onwards under a single unified brand) will first have a “co-design phase led by the Lottery (who administer it),  DCMS with the sector and young people around some of the specific priorities” which will be launched around the same time as the Youth Strategy in “later summer early autumn”.

⚡Children’s Commissioner (Eng) Youth Voices Forum launched

⚡Our Future Our Voice – Children’s Commissioner (England) launches new Youth Voice Forum “Today I’m launching my Youth Voices Forum to hear from more children across England, to share opportunities and give them the chance to share their views about the issues they care about to influence my work & shape the direction of government policy. https://lnkd.in/eA54p8rk  “The Youth Voices Forum is for any child across England aged over 13. Parents and people who work with children can also sign up. Every month members of the forum will receive newsletters sharing the work of our office. Young people and parents/carers will have the chance to take part in The Big Conversation Survey where they can tell me what they think needs to change to make England the best place to be a child. They can also get their friends and peers to take part by having their say in The Big Conversation Survey and signing up to join the Youth Voices Forum. These ideas feed into the policy and research work conducted by my office. We will also share opportunities from government departments and other public bodies for young people to have their say around issues that may affect them.”  Comment – looks just like an agenda that a national youth council could adopt. How will Governments new Youth (voice) Strategy integrate/relate to this development and how will it sit alongside a revived national Youth Council being planned? Are the four Childrens’ Commissioners part of that conversations? Ed/JC

Youth Policy Development Group returns – Opportunity

If you are a young person yourself, or you know or work with people aged 14-25 who care about their voice being heard in national policy-making, please check out this amazing opportunity from Shout Out UK in partnership with the Paul Hamlyn Foundation! We’re looking for 20 passionate individuals to join our Youth Policy Development Group. Apply via the following survey link: https://lnkd.in/evTiVY6a Deadline: 📅 20th July   Comment: Young Voices Heard was a previous partner with ShoutOutUK which designed and developed a successful proposal of the same name to set up such a group in response to a DCMS tender – which subsequently advised and informed various Govt policy initiatives between 2021-2023.  This version still aims to “provide feedback and recommendations to politicians at all levels of government, ensuring that young people’s views are considered in policy development and decision making” and I strongly recommend it. Ed/JC

Votes at 16 Watch

⚡Votes at 16 Watch – news since Jan 25  can be found on the main Votesat16 Watch column on the main landing page of the http://www.YoungVoicesHeard.org.uk home page. YOUNG VOICES HEARD – CONSULTANCY, SHARING GOOD PRACTICE, SUPPORT SERVICES

⚡Votes at 16 International – 18th June Webinar.  The Votes at 16 Meeting (hosted by the Politics Project monthly) invited representatives from Votes16 campaigns in USA, Canada and New Zealand and Europe, to join UK based campaigners for a good practice exchange. USA Vote16USA – Empowering the Youth Vote in America  and their report Young People at the Ballot Box  2024;    CanadaVotesat16Statement;      New Zealand Make it 16 NZ,  and  Europe Website with lots of information about how to run a campaign to lower the voting age Campaign booklet

YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES – Editors pick…Youth Opportunities  7th July edition | LinkedIn “for young people, curated by young people”. Below is just a selection of over 20 opportunities that relate to #youthvoice Advisory Board roles – but check out the full issue for lots more – and subscribe!

Advisory Boards -YVH pick..

⚡The Woodland Trustis looking for young people aged 16–25 to join its UK-wide Youth Council. Members help shape the charity’s strategy, raise awareness, amplify youth voices in conservation, and build community connections. This volunteer role offers training, networking, and the chance to make a real impact. Applicants must be available for a residential trip from 4–7 September. Shortlisting by 14th July so Apply ASAP. Assessment calls: 22–23 July. Interviews: 28 July.

⚡UNESCO SDG4 Youth & Student Network  16-30? Applications are open for the 2026–2027 , a global platform for young leaders passionate about advancing quality education (SDG4). Members, aged 16–30, will contribute to education policy, advocacy, and innovation, and serve as youth representatives on the SDG4 High-Level Steering Committee. The two-year term starts in January 2026, with onboarding from October 2025. Applicants must be active in a youth or student organisation related to education and free from conflicts of interest. Deadline: 10 July 2025 (midnight Paris time) Apply here

⚡Children in Scotland is inviting young people aged 8 to 22 to join its youth advisory group, Changing Our World. This group plays a vital role in shaping the organisation’s work by sharing experiences and perspectives on issues that matter to children and young people. Members participate in regular meetings—both online and in person—collaborate on projects, contribute to policy development, and engage with decision-makers. Recent initiatives have included co-chairing the annual conference, developing a paper on education and learning, and meeting with government ministers to discuss youth health concerns. This is a voluntary role with no salary, but it offers valuable experience and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact. Applications are open until 14 July 2025.

⚡Inclusion Scotland is recruiting Deaf and disabled people, along with unpaid carers, to join their People-Led Policy Panel (PLPP) to influence social care policies alongside the Scottish Government, empowering participants to develop new skills, build connections, and drive meaningful change in policy development. This is a mixed age group panel but applications are particularly welcome from “Young people or young carers aged 18-28 who use adult social care support or have supported someone who uses adult social care support from a young age.” Find out more here. Applications should be sent to info@inclusionscotland.org by Wednesday 16 July 2025

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Trustee positions

Interested in becoming a trustee? Only 3% of trustees are under the age of 30. Find under-30 friendly trustee boards through Young Trustees Movement

RESOURCES

Top Pick – Poll ⚡UK Youth Poll 2025 – John Smith Centre & Video of findings in case the you missed it. (published April covering a poll in Feb 2025 and interviews prior to that) In the light of the fact that DCMS are about to publish an interim Youth Strategy report which will hopefully announce some changes to how young people are heard by decision-making going forward (nationally and locally)  here is a link again to the John Smith Centre UK wide poll of youth views. Its comprehensive and covers those aged 16-29.  The views of 16 and 17 years are sometime different from older age groups – something Votesat16 stakeholders, and politicians could do well to take note of ….

Top  Pick – Tips⚡ Twelve Myths About Participation. Laura Lundy has recently posted this handy 12 point deck resource on common misconceptions around youthvoice and participation.

Top Pick – Paid ⚡VoiceBox | By young people, for young people “The international content platform by young people for young people. Create content on the topics you care about and get paid!” VoiceBox is an international youth-led content platform and social enterprise, whose mission is to amplify the voices of young people around the world. We feature a wide variety of topics and formats of content from people aged 13-25. Become a paid content creator

For  other YVH recommended resources go to the http://www.YoungVoiceHeard.org.uk main website / RESOURCES, or browse back issues of #YouthVoiceNews