“This place holds a special place in my heart; the Lowdown saved my life. They encouraged me so much, they gave me so much support, it’s unreal.” Young person, The Lowdown, Northampton
Over the last three and a half years, 276 youth services have been built or refurbished, creating spaces by and for young people. By March 2027, these centres will reach 73,141 young people every week, with 48,236 additional young people accessing new or renovated spaces to learn, grow and belong.
The Youth Investment Fund’s success has boosted momentum to reinvigorate the youth sector, followed by the UK Government’s Better Youth Spaces fund and the first National Youth Strategy in over two decades. After years of decline, hope is being restored. Successfully delivering a £300M+ fund has provided insights to support delivery of the new National Youth Strategy:
The Youth Investment Fund will have a legacy that is felt for decades, not only through state-of-the-art spaces and high-quality youth work, but through the momentum created to restore the sector and raise ambitions for what can be achieved with and for young people.
Our Learning
Close persisting gaps
While the Youth Investment Fund has had a huge impact, there is more to do. Cold spots persist in nearly half of local authority areas, where provision fails to meet need.
Keep young people in the driving seat
The National Youth Strategy rightly raises ambition for youth leadership. Future funding can build on the Youth Advisory Boards, Young Assessors, and youth-led design sessions to empower young people throughout delivery and decision-making.
Invest in resilience and revenue
The Central Support Offer provided targeted, high-quality help with minimal burden to grantees, supporting world-class projects in areas of high need, at pace and scale.
Collaboration and pace:
The Fund’s success demonstrates the importance of trusted partnership to mobilise at pace. Collaboration brought invaluable expertise.
Prioritise energy investment
Future funding should consider energy security more intentionally, reducing bills and contributing to Clean Power 2030 – and mitigating the risk of such features being value-engineered out.