The shift from providing for youth to empowering them
In short: For too long, society has treated young people as passive recipients of care rather than active architects of the future. New global and national initiatives are now pivoting toward a model of co-design, where the goal is to give youth the actual power to shape the policies that govern their lives.
The core philosophy behind modern youth advocacy, as highlighted by Henrietta Fore and the UK government, is the transition from mere service delivery to active participation. Fore emphasizes that the duty of the current generation is to ensure young people have a "fighting chance," which requires moving beyond basic needs to providing a platform for their voices in government and school policies. This shift recognizes that youth are capable of bringing significant change to the world if given the opportunity to lead it.
In practice, this is being manifested through large-scale structural investments. The UK government's "Youth Matters" strategy, launched in December 2025, is a primary example. This strategy was co-produced with 14,000 young people via a "State of the Nation" survey. The survey revealed a critical modern crisis: a lack of safe, face-to-face community environments, leading to an over-reliance on online interactions.
To counter this, the government is investing over £500 million to rebuild youth services over the next decade. A key mechanism of this investment is the expansion of Young Futures Hubs. The project intends to offer comprehensive assistance to individuals between 10 and 18 (extending to 25 for SEND recipients) by creating 42 fresh centres throughout England. These hubs are designed to be "seamless," meaning young people do not have to repeat their personal stories to different agencies. Instead, the hubs integrate mental health support, crime prevention, and employment training into a single local community point, aiming to reverse a decade of decline in local youth services.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Henrietta Fore: How we can help young people build a better future
- Also: Thousands more young people to access help with life's biggest challenges
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