Young people represent a significant proportion of the population, a total of 11.7 million young people aged 10 to 24 in the UK. This represents nearly 20% of the UK population. All young people have a right to be listened too; to express their views, their feelings, their wishes and to be taken seriously. Nowhere is this more important than in the spaces where decisions are made about support and provision for them. When they feel disconnected and uninvolved, they become disengaged. This leads to apathy, which hinders their personal growth, civic participation, and ability to contribute positively to society. Disconnection arises when young people are excluded from decision-making processes and their voices are not heard. As a result, they remain underrepresented, resulting in ineffective policies, unaddressed youth-specific issues, social polarisation and missed opportunities for innovation.

We are committing to exploring and developing ways to enhance the voice of young people across the entirety of our mission. Your support will help ensure that all Urban Saints safe spaces are accessible, where collaborative youth-adults partnerships are fostered, and intergenerational dialogue is encouraged. We will develop this further by establishing Youth Advisory Boards where young people can have direct involvement in Urban Saints, both regionally and nationally. They will have their say on policies, will be involved in designing programmes, and promoting youth-led initiatives.