Our new Summer Jobs Programme offers paid summer work placements for 16-25 year olds who are at risk of violence.

The programme will provide young people with direct employment opportunities in with employers in their local area. Young people will gain key skills needed to support future employment opportunities along with being paid for the placement. The six-week programme includes a preparation week and five weeks of work experience, all with the dedicated support of a youth worker.

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Developed through the learning taken from the Reach Up programme (2017-2022), Building Connections is an investment in youth work to create stronger pathways to employment for young people.

In partnership with Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, UK Youth is building the capacity of youth workers as Community Link Workers, supporting them to build partnerships and networks with local businesses and employers and turning those connections into opportunities for young people.

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Building Aspirations is an employability programme, funded by RSA, designed for young people aged 18-24 who are not in education, employment, or training or are at risk of becoming so. The programme’s core aim is to instill belief and confidence in young people, showing them that long-term employment and even their dream careers are possible.

Through a skill-building curriculum, youth workers help participants identify their interests and passions while creating a structured plan to achieve their goals.

The UK Youth Fund: Thriving Minds is an ambitious initiative launched in partnership with The Julia Rausing Trust  (formerly known as The Julia and Hans Rausing Trust) to improve mental health support and provision for young people. With an initial £10 million investment, boosted by an additional £1 million from the Westminster Foundation, the fund provided grants of up to £50,000 per year for three years to 99 charities and not-for-profit organisations across the UK. Targeting organisations with an annual income under £500,000 and supporting young people aged 8-25, the fund also offered tailored support through workshops, training, and communities of best practice.

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Young Changemakers was a collaborative programme delivered by UK Youth, Centre for Mental Health, and The Diana Award, aiming to reimagine mental health support for young people from racialised communities. The project was led by young co-producers aged 16-25, who brought valuable perspectives through their passion, lived experience of mental health challenges, and insight into racial injustices.

The programme sought to develop inclusive and culturally responsive mental health support systems, ensuring they better addressed the unique needs of racialised communities.

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The Hatch Programme, delivered in partnership with KFC, was an employability initiative designed to support NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) young people in gaining the essential skills needed for employment and real-life work experience.

The programme began with a series of engaging workshops led by youth workers, preparing participants for the level of commitment and engagement required during their work experience. This was followed by a four-week placement at a chosen location, offering young people invaluable hands-on experience in a professional environment.

By equipping participants with practical skills and real-world exposure, the Hatch Programme empowered young people to take their first steps towards meaningful employment and future opportunities.

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Inspired by the tenth anniversary of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Inspire 2022 was a youth-led, events-based social action programme. It encouraged young people to use national celebrations as a springboard to design positive activities for their communities. The programme aimed to bridge community divides, foster connection, and amplify young people’s voices during a year of national celebration.

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Funded by the Monday Charitable Trust, this innovative programme strengthened local youth services and upskilled youth workers to better support young people. It focused on helping youth workers address key challenges, including poor mental health, online safety concerns, and grooming risks.

FutureProof empowered youth workers to respond to the evolving needs of young people, providing them with the tools and training necessary to help young people cope with uncertainty, build life skills, and navigate risks in their lives.

Community Food Champions was a dynamic programme funded by UK Youth and BiteBack2030, empowering young people to address challenges in accessing healthy and nutritious food within their communities. Through the programme, passionate young activists worked in teams to design and implement innovative campaign ideas tackling food-related issues in their local areas. The most impactful campaigns were awarded funding to bring their strategies to life, enabling young people to lead meaningful change and advocate for healthier, more equitable food systems.

Dream It Real was a transformative programme delivered in partnership with The Coach Foundation, aimed at building confidence, aspirations, and skills among young people aged 16-25. Through four interactive modules, participants developed resilience, gained professional skills, and visualised their future goals. The programme also offered 100 scholarships worth £1,000 each to support access to academic or vocational qualifications. Engaging 300 young people across London, Birmingham, Leeds, and Edinburgh, Dream It Real empowered participants to take the next steps towards achieving their dreams.

The EmpowHER Legacy programme was inspired by the EmpowHER initiative, led by UK Youth in partnership with the British Red Cross and Young Women’s Trust. It was funded by Spirit of 2012 and the #iwill Fund, which is made possible through joint investment from The National Lottery Community Fund and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). Launched to commemorate the centenary of women’s suffrage, EmpowHER encouraged young women and girls to use their voices for positive change—just as their predecessors did 100 years ago.

As a two-year programme funded by Spirit of 2012, EmpowHER Legacy was delivered by UK Youth in partnership with 52 delivery partners across England. The programme aimed to embed the key learnings and best practices of the original EmpowHER initiative into the youth sector through a multi-strand approach. These strands explored innovative methods to ensure the sustainability of the EmpowHER principles and their impact on youth work.