This year marks the tenth anniversary of my Young Voices Heard initiative – a hybrid movement/consultancy, whose overall aim has been to increase the role, quality and influence of youthvoice and young leaders in public life. It has evolved over time and is currently focusing on producing a sector Newsletter whilst still generating a small income to cover costs. I still try to advocate and campaign for system change and better standards. Today #youthvoice is undergoing a bit of a renaissance with dozens of participation initiatives, with commentators and experts queuing up to critique approaches or offering support on how to “do it”. Perhaps votesat16 is a bit of stimulus for that. But its also the result of the cumulative effect of the sectors most experienced reaching positions of influence, including young people themselves with their messages and feedback at last getting through, and funders being prepared to invest in strengthening and deepening our understanding of what good practice looks like.
What’s the Young Voices Heard approach and relevance?
As I ponder retirement, I’ve been reflecting a lot on next steps – how, when and whether I should hand it over, and if so, who to? Or leave the field of play entirely to the New Guard. Yet the new newsletter has had some positive feedback and is growing in reach. 62% of subscribers are at a senior level, including 26% Directors, CXOs or Partners and a small group survey indicated that 100% mobilising their youthvoice as a result of something they’d read or an opportunity they’d signposted. International visitors now make up 20%+ of website views.
Last week #YouthVoiceNews (Issue 76) featured a report by participation champion Lucy Read – “Beyond Silos” which features the Young Voices Heard movements as a case study. I’m sharing this, not only as part of my annual reporting, but because Lucy is an excellent writer (the whole report and its recommendations for great collaboration and long-term system change are spot on. She has observed and articulated my approach and the work (and limitations!) of Young Voices Heard far better than Ive ever be able to do – and far more concisely!
It’s one of a number of case studies in “Beyond Silos: Mapping Youth Infrastructure and Open Collaboration Across the UK” 2025 which was produced as part of the Open Youth Infrastructure Project, commissioned by New Philanthropy Capital, supported by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, and is about connecting the youth sector together and featuring the power of youth voice collaboration.
James Cathcart
Case Study: The importance of youth voice and advocacy, and connecting the sector together
by Lucy Read (reproduced with permission)
Executive Summary
James Cathcart and Youth Voice Heard, a Community Interest Company, exemplify the
transformative potential of open youth infrastructure. Drawing on over 40 years in youth
advocacy, including as CEO of the British Youth Council and Head of Target Groups, and
Mentoring at the Prince’s Trust [Kings], James has pioneered approaches that prioritise collective
impact, knowledge sharing, and movement building over organisational interests.
About the Organisation
Youth Voice Heard focuses on youth voice advocacy and sector development. Its primary role
is to provide consultancy, share good practice, and provide support services to promote
greater youth participation and influence in civil society, including boardrooms, communities,
and the media. [Originally founded under the brand and logo ‘Young Voices Heard’ in 2017, as a consultancy/pro bono social enterprise, Youth Voice Heard CIC was established in 2021 and took over from the company in April 2025 – see Home for more details/Ed]
Key Activities:
• Publishing the Youth Voice News newsletter, connecting sector developments and
young people’s projects.
• Freelance consultancy and mentoring for organisations seeking meaningful youth
engagement.
• Developing quality frameworks, such as the Youth Participation Quality Standards.
• Pro bono advocacy and campaigning for systemic change in youth services.
• Mentoring young leaders to take an equal seat in developing infrastructure, sharing
good practice and leading change.
• Networking, reporting, and sharing good practice and research.
About James Cathcart
James is a qualified social worker and probation officer with a career spanning youth work,
juvenile justice, and the care system. He served as CEO of the British Youth Council (2008–
2016) and as Head of Target Groups, and Mentoring at the Prince’s Trust (1999-2008), where he
established a national mentoring programme for young people leaving care, and authored the charity’s ‘Look Beyond the Label’ guidance.
Why James’s Perspective Matters:
• Eight years leading the British Youth Council provide unique insight into the national
youth voice infrastructure.
• Background spanning statutory, voluntary, and private sector youth work.
• Committed to connecting and strengthening the youth voice ecosystem, not building
an organisational empire.
• Open practice champion: Choosing a social enterprise model to enable knowledge
sharing beyond traditional charity constraints.
• Systemic change advocate: Focused on addressing structural barriers, not just
individual interventions.
Organisational Philosophy and Evolution
James established Youth Voice Heard [in 2017] after recognising that effective youth work requires
moving beyond organisational territorialism toward collaborative approaches. The structure
was a deliberate choice to prioritise mission over traditional charity constraints, enabling the
organisation to act as a connector and facilitator rather than a competitor for young people’s
engagement.
Systemic Challenges in Youth Work
• Territorial working: Competition for resources creates artificial barriers, preventing
young people from accessing the most appropriate support and limiting organisations’
ability to learn from each other.
• Misalignment of leadership pathways: Current training and capacity building is
primarily offered to adult professionals (youth workers, support workers) rather than
directly to young people as independent agents. This creates a dependency model
rather than building capacity.
• Limited leadership pathways: The conventional route assumes young people need to
progress through traditional youth worth structures to gain legitimacy as leaders. This
overlooks those who develop agency through alternative routes, like digital activism,
peer networks, setting up organisations (My Life My Say) and may be more effective
at rapid information sharing, innovation and engagement with children and young
people.
• Systemic bias: Persistent structural discrimination against young people leads to
deficit-based policy frameworks and funding systems that fail to recognise young
people’s strengths and contributions.
• Infrastructure crisis: The closure of the British Youth Council after 75 years highlights
the fragility of essential youth voice infrastructure and the need for more sustainable,
distributed approaches.
Solutions and Innovations
• Historical Learning and Knowledge Preservation: James advocates for infrastructure
that captures and preserves institutional learning, ensuring that knowledge is not lost
when organisations close.
• Moving beyond organisational boundaries: Youth Voice Heard aims to create
infrastructure that transcends individual organisations, empowering young people to
drive change and sustain their initiatives.
• Newsletter as Infrastructure: The Youth Voice News newsletter demonstrates open
infrastructure in action, connecting projects and ideas across the sector and amplifying
youth voices.
Collaborative Practice and Knowledge Sharing
Barriers:
• Commercial restrictions and funding-driven limitations on sharing
• Lack of dedicated time and capacity for knowledge exchange
Solutions:
• Make sharing an explicit part of job roles
• Offer information in multiple, accessible formats for both youth and adults
• Promote bottom-up information flows, showcasing volunteering journeys and
progression
International Learning and Connection
James highlights the value of global youth voice networks and advocates for UK infrastructure
that connects with international movements while developing local solutions.
Vision for Infrastructure Development
• Physical and digital integration: Combining digital platforms with face-to-face
events to foster human connection and learning.
• Ambassador and membership models: Flexible engagement models ensure
inclusivity, regardless of organisational size or resources.
• Clear purpose and values: Clarity about infrastructure aims and funding is essential
for sustainability and impact.
Addressing Power and Participation
James advocates for structural changes that embed young people in decision-making
positions, moving beyond consultation to genuine power-sharing and indeed leaders as in
Young CEOs. Effective youth work creates sustainable progression, with young people
supporting and mentoring each other.
Data, Funding, and Sustainability
• Integrated data:
Breaking down silos between government departments and distinguishing between
personal and non-personal data for research and storytelling.
• Funding challenges:
James highlights the tension between the public good of open infrastructure and
traditional charity funding models, calling for research into the benefits of sharing and
new funding approaches that reward collaboration.
Key Insights for the Sector
• Movement over organisation: Prioritise sector-wide movement building, not
organisational empire.
• Historical learning matters: Capture and share institutional knowledge.
• Young people as infrastructure builders: Build with and by young people.
• Commercial barriers limit learning: Shift funding and competition models to enable
open knowledge sharing.
• Power redistribution is essential: Embed young people in decision-making roles
• International connection strengthens local work: Learn from and connect with global
youth movements.
• Multiple formats serve different needs: Use diverse formats to reach different
audiences.
• Physical and digital integration: Combine online platforms with in-person
engagement.
Challenges and Limitations
• Heavy reliance on individual commitment and pro bono work raises sustainability
concerns.
• Not all organisations are ready for the openness and collaboration required.
• Digital approaches assume universal access and literacy, which may not exist across
the sector.
Conclusion
James Cathcart and Youth Voice Heard show that open youth infrastructure is both necessary
and achievable. Their approach, rooted in historical learning, bottom-up knowledge sharing,
international connection, and genuine power-sharing, offers a roadmap for transforming the
UK youth sector. As traditional infrastructure disappears, new models like Youth Voice Heard
point towards a more resilient, collaborative future driven by a culture shift from competition
to co-creation and from adult-led provision to youth-driven innovation
Learn More
To learn more about Youth Voice Heard and their approach to open youth infrastructure, visit
their website or subscribe to Youth Voice News to connect with the broader movement for
youth voice and participation across the UK. [www.youngvoicesheard.org.uk, & YouthVoiceNews https://lnkd.in/e4ZMAESX%5D
ENDS
“Lucy noted that one of the challenges and limitations of the approach I’ve adopted is sustainability, as the model was initially reliant on consultancy income or, in recent years, volunteering. In response to that I’m looking for support to deliver a succession strategy, to either partner up, or hand control over to a network of young leaders.
1/ I generate income through consultancy – this subsidises the pro bono work and the Newsletter. Last years partners included Notts Trent University and the Youth United Foundation, and pro bono work has included being consulted on the development of Youth Council UK by the National Youth Agency as well as mentoring individual young leaders and responding to requests for advice from those who would not otherwise be able to access support.
2/ Open to donations or sponsorship to cover the running costs (insurance, accountant, software, licences..)
3/ Grant/Donations, ring fenced to pay young contributors to help write and produce the newsletter, and/or recruit a shadow Board of Advisors (rewarded).
I will need investors and supporters. If you think you can help … get in touch!”
James Cathcart 1 June 26