Youth strategy empowers UK young people.

Published: 10 December 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online.

Young people in the UK have endured decades of what Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy calls “violent indifference” from political leaders, leaving them struggling to navigate a rapidly changing world. In announcing the first national youth strategy in 15 years, Nandy highlighted the urgent need to tackle isolation, digital risks, and declining trust in politics, aiming to empower the next generation to reclaim control over their own lives.

Speaking to the Guardian, Nandy described today’s youth as the most digitally connected yet simultaneously the most socially isolated generation in history. She warned that political disengagement is high, with many young people turning away from mainstream parties, including Labour, due to a lack of faith that politics can serve their interests. The new Youth Matters strategy seeks to reverse this trend, providing opportunities for youth empowerment, resilience building, and meaningful real-world connections.

The £500 million plan will give 500,000 more young people access to a trusted adult outside their home, including teachers, youth workers, or sports coaches, fostering guidance and support for personal development. The strategy also plans up to 250 new or refurbished youth clubs, 50 regional hubs offering professional support in cities such as Birmingham, Nottingham, and County Durham, and enhanced backing for youth workers to meet the growing needs of young people.

“There is urgency to this work,” Nandy said at the launch in Peckham, south London. “We have the most connected but also the most isolated generation, many of whom do not feel safe daily, in part because of online threats. England is an outlier, and the challenges are worsening despite global awareness of loneliness and wellbeing issues.”

Nandy explained that this generation has been shaped by the Covid pandemic, the cost-of-living crisis, global instability, and an ever-present digital world, creating a “perfect storm” of challenges. Although the Online Safety Act has introduced child protection measures, the online space remains toxic, and many young people are seeking guidance rather than social media bans. She cautioned that enforcement-heavy restrictions could criminalize under-18s, which is not the solution young people want.

“Instead, they need help navigating the online world safely, just as they do in real life,” Nandy added. Providing young people with physical spaces to connect, mentors to trust, and enriched activities especially for working-class youth could significantly improve their social and emotional wellbeing.

The strategy addresses long-term funding gaps, noting that local government spending on youth services fell by 73% between 2010-11 and 2022-23, with over 1,000 youth centres closing and more than 4,500 youth worker positions lost. Nandy emphasised that at the root of these challenges is a crisis of self-worth. “Young people need to feel they matter. Their vulnerability has been exploited by gangs and online predators alike,” she said.

Highlighting the importance of empowerment over lecturing, Nandy argued that voting campaigns alone cannot change youth engagement. “This strategy aims to genuinely empower young people to take control of their lives, make meaningful change, and realise their potential,” she said. By returning agency to youth, the government hopes to reverse decades of neglect and provide practical support that can help them thrive in an increasingly complex society.

The Youth Matters initiative represents a multi-faceted effort to address longstanding inequities, digital risks, and social isolation. By investing in mentorship, youth centres, professional support, and online safety, the plan seeks to rebuild trust in political structures while nurturing the next generation’s resilience. Nandy’s message was clear: empowering young people is not just a moral imperative but a societal necessity, ensuring that the most digitally connected generation is not also the most disconnected in reality.

With these measures, the government aims to create a sustainable framework for youth development, combining mental health support, safety guidance, and life skills education. By fostering real-world interactions and professional guidance, the strategy hopes to offset the negative impacts of economic pressures, digital overload, and fragmented social networks. For many young people, this could mark a turning point, offering practical tools to navigate the complexities of modern life with confidence and resilience.

Ultimately, Lisa Nandy framed the Youth Matters strategy as a response to decades of neglect, focusing on restoring agency, trust, and opportunity. With comprehensive investment and nationwide implementation, the initiative aspires to reverse the consequences of political indifference, providing a generation with the resources and support to thrive socially, emotionally, and digitally in the years ahead.