Young people across the country who access youth work are being encouraged by BBC 3 Grime Kids’ actor, Tienne Simon, 25, to get creative as part of the Art of Youth Work campaign launched by the National Youth Agency (NYA) on 17 July.   Tienne visited the Gifted Young Generation youth club in Gravesend to kick start the campaign, which will engage young people to create a piece of original music, dance, spoken word or visual art which illustrates how their youth work provision – whether in a youth club, hospital, secure estate or other place – provides a safe and inclusive space ..read more

The findings of a national survey of young people aged between 16 -19 years of age, commissioned by the National Youth Agency (NYA), reveals that over half (51%) want more youth work that offers fun activities in their local area. This finding is most pronounced among 18-19 year olds compared to 16 – 17 years olds (57% vs 45%). Yet, despite a strong desire for more youth work provision in communities, 10% of respondents say there are ‘no options at all’ in their area, whilst 66% say that there are ‘very few’ or ‘some, but not enough’, with only 16% reporting that there are ‘plenty of optio ..read more

Leona Hopkins, 16, from Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, started coming along to Youth of Fenlands, when she heard from her sister’s friend that it was fun.  Attending the weekly Wednesday night’s session is now the highlight of her week and she admits she wouldn’t be doing anything else outside of school if she didn’t have youth club to go to.  Self Confidence Through the activities and support of the youth workers at the club. Leona’s self-confidence has improved and she’s now supporting younger children who are often shy and nervous to join in when they first attend.  “The you ..read more

Emily Long, 18, first came into contact with a youth worker through a boxing project called In Your Corner run by Goole Youth Action in 2023, with government funding and the support of Goole Amateur Boxing Club.   “The project aims to provide a safe space for young people who may be hanging around on the streets and at risk of getting into trouble. It gives them a chance to do something fun and to help them choose a more positive path,” explained Emily.  Feeling like a part of the community When Emily moved to Goole in 2022, she moved into supported accommodation. Joining ..read more

At 18-years-old, Alex Johnstone, who lives in Goole, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, says that the support they’ve received from Goole Youth Action and other local youth clubs in the area has enabled them to get through some dark times and in particular, helped them to come to terms with a diagnosis of osteoarthritis and coming out as transgender aged 14 years.   Finding a sense of belonging During this time, in year 10, Alex rediscovered youth work and found a sense of belonging at the local youth club. “My youth worker actually knew me from before I was trans,” Alex explained ..read more

Jenny Foster, Youth Work BA (Hons) and Level 6-degree apprenticeship course leader at the University of Central Lancashire, is passionate about building the capacity of professional youth workers in the Northwest. Breaking down barriers to Higher Education The popularity of the new degree apprenticeship at UCLan, particularly amongst an older demographic, bodes well for the course which launched with 40 apprentices in September 2023.  Jenny explained: “No one is going to do a full time BA (Hons) if they’re working full time. Our learners on the apprenticeship are often mature stude ..read more

The latest research by the National Youth Agency (NYA) reveals that fewer than seven per cent of respondents to a national survey of youth workers are under 26 years old, almost half (49 percent) are over the age of 46 and over half (59 percent) have worked in the youth sector for over a decade, highlighting the challenges in recruiting young entrants to this increasingly needed sector.  Around 1000 youth workers participated in the first Youth Sector Workforce Survey (between November – December 2023) and a further 60 took part in focus groups early in 2024, to provide deeper insight ..read more

Leigh Middleton, National Youth Agency CEO, has received an OBE for his commitment to the youth work sector, as part of the King’s Birthday Honours list.  OBEs are awarded to recognise people’s achievements and service to the country across a range of areas, including those who have made a marked contribution to civil society. Leigh Middleton, NYA CEO Reacting to his OBE, Leigh Middleton, said: “I’m grateful and honoured to be recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours List.   “As with so many youth workers, I started working with young people 31 years ago when I w ..read more

The National Youth Agency (NYA) has taken ownership of the assets which previously belonged to the British Youth Council and rights to all the BYC programmes, in order to enable young people to continue to have a voice in national and international political fora. Harry Twohig, former Trustee, BYC, said: “I’m delighted that the NYA will be acting as custodian of the assets of the British Youth Council. At a time when young people are being impacted by a host of political and social issues, it is vital that the campaigns and resources built by BYC’s dedicated young people, staff and volunte ..read more

NatWest Thrive Online is live! A brand-new digital learning resource for youth workers to help them support young people to define their future goals and build their confidence to get there. Offering six free sessions, brought to life with interactive videos featuring NYA’s youth work specialists, this new online resource is jam-packed with activities and tools to help unlock young people’s vision for success and identify the steps to get there. Developed in partnership with NatWest Bank and Marcus Rashford, sessions have been co-designed with young people and explore topics such as enterp ..read more