With youth policy firmly in the national spotlight, 2026 has brought major debates on issues that will shape young people’s lives, from mental health and youth unemployment to a social media ban and votes at 16.
Against this backdrop, the NYA has worked to put young people and youth work at the heart of national policymaking throughout party conference season, attending all five major party conferences. At both Labour and Conservative Party Conferences, we brought young people together with national decision-makers to discuss progress on the National Youth Strategy, the future of youth work, and why young people must have a meaningful voice in shaping the policies that affect them.
Liberal Democratic Party Conference
NYA Interim CEO Abbee McLatchie pictured with Anna Sabine MP, Liberal Democrats Spokesperson for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (left), Josh Babarinde MP, President of the Liberal Democrats (middle) and Munira Wilson MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Education, Children and Families (right)
The NYA joined Youth and Skills Day, taking part in discussions with young people, MPs and councillors on the vital role of youth work in supporting young people’s wellbeing and democratic engagement. We highlighted the importance of equipping youth workers with the skills and confidence needed to deliver high-quality, non-partisan informal democratic engagement which will help young people understand and engage with democracy in their communities and ahead of the next general election.
The NYA also met with senior Liberal Democrat frontbench spokespeople, including Anna Sabine MP, spokesperson for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and Munira Wilson MP, spokesperson for Education, Children and Families. Discussions highlighted the vital role youth work plays in supporting young people’s mental health, confidence, wellbeing and safety, and the need to ensure young people have access to youth workers and high-quality youth provision in their communities.
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At Labour Party Conference, the NYA held a panel discussion titled ‘Rebuilding the Youth Sector: Lessons from the Local Youth Transformation Pilot’ which was chaired by Ros-Wynne Jones, journalist at The Mirror. We were joined by Local Youth Transformation Assessor, Anna Gibson, Natasha Irons MP and Councillor Jane Ashworth OBE. The panel explored the early learnings from the Local Youth Transformation Pilot, the importance of listening to young people, and how investment in youth work can help create better opportunities and outcomes for young people. Read our explainer of the Local Youth Transformation pilot here.
With 1,000 new youth workers set to be recruited and trained as part of the UK Government’s plans for youth services and a focus on place-based policy making, it’s an important time for the sector and for the delivery of the National Youth Strategy, making our panel discussion very timely.
The NYA was also represented across the allied sector through education and health events focussed on tackling violence against women and girls, youth work in hospitals and votes at 16. We participated in over twenty engagements ensuring youth work and young people were not missed off the national policy agenda, including meetings with Lola McEvoy MP, Parliamentary Private Secretary (DMCS) and Amanda Martin MP, highlighting youth work skills gaps and the need to strengthen the statutory duty on local authorities to deliver quality youth provision for young people.
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At Conservative Party Conference, the NYA’s private roundtable ‘Building Stronger Communities Through Great Youth Work’ convened national and local government and youth sector leaders to explore how national ambitions can translate into meaningful change for young people locally.
With contributions from Baroness Stedman-Scott OBE, DL, FRSA, Shadow Minister for Work and Pensions, Councillor George Perfect, Member of the LGA Children & Young People Board and Leader of Medway Conservative Group and Local Youth Transformation Assessor, Finty Royle and partners including StreetGames, the Duke of Edinburgh, Scouts and Girlguiding, the discussion underlined the need for strong cross-sector partnerships and sustained, resourced local youth work delivery.
Participants emphasised the power of partnerships across business, local government and the voluntary sector, and the need to put young people’s wellbeing, confidence and happiness at the heart of national policy so that young people feel policy change, personally and in their communities. We also engaged with panels on Votes at 16 and met with Councillors and MP’s offices.
