The NYA has been commissioned by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to lead the delivery of the pilot Local Youth Transformation Programme (LYTP), in partnership with UK Youth, Regional Youth Work Units (RYWUs), Young People Foundation Trusts, StreetGames, the Local Government Association, and the Centre for Young Lives.
The LYTP will work with 12 local authorities across England to help build a high-quality, needs-led youth offer and re-establish strong local leadership in youth services. The pilot programme will run until 2026 and is a key part of the government’s commitment to improving outcomes for young people.
The selected local authorities are Knowsley, Shropshire, Southwark, Oxfordshire, Doncaster, Liverpool, Peterborough, Hartlepool, Derbyshire, Stoke, Cornwall, and Islington. These areas were chosen through a mini-Expression of Interest (EOI) competition, agreed by Ministers to reflect the small size of the pilot and reduce administrative burden. Within each region, local authorities with the highest levels of young people living in families facing income deprivation (as measured by IDACI) were invited to submit an EOI. These submissions were then reviewed by DCMS to understand the motivations for participation and the potential benefits for both the local authority and youth provision.
Each local authority will undergo a tailored review process, supported by NYA, consortium partners and young assessors, to assess current provision, identify gaps and co-develop a plan for long-term transformation. The programme will also support councils in preparing proposals for DCMS transformation funding.
The LYTP builds on NYA’s experience in delivering peer and service reviews and will focus on essential capability themes for local authorities to secure a high quality youth offer, including youth engagement, local leadership, safeguarding, workforce development, partnerships and quality of youth work practice. The themes are based on the Statutory Guidance for local authorities.
The Local Youth Transformation Programme forms part of the Government’s £88 million Building Creative Futures package announced today, Awst 6th 2025, by the Prime Minister, which confirms a range of investments in youth services and youth work. This includes a new £22.5 million commitment over three years to deliver a tailored enrichment offer giving pupils access to valuable extra-curricular activities such as sport, art, music, outdoor pursuits, debating, and volunteering to support wellbeing and help develop essential life skills.
Leigh Middleton OBE, CEO National Youth Agency, said:
“The Local Youth Transformation Programme pilot will help bring about inclusive, effective and sustainable youth work across the 12 selected local authority areas. We are delighted to be leading this work alongside our valued partners, leveraging our expertise in supporting the implementation of the Local Authority statutory duty to provide a local youth offer that is responsive to need, in youth participation and in understanding the skills and qualifications needed to deliver effective youth work.
As the country gears up for delivering the National Youth Strategy, we are excited to support pilot areas to enhance the quality of youth provision and generate learning that will benefit the sector as a whole.”
Thora Eberts, Director of Delivery, UK Youth, said:
“UK Youth is thrilled to join the Local Youth Transformation Programme as a member, and Chair, of the Strategic Steering Group. The consortium of national and regional youth sector infrastructure organisations NYA is convening to shape the LYTP embodies collaborative partnership working in practice, and is bringing together knowledge, expertise and valuable perspectives from colleagues representing the diversity and breadth of organisations working across the country supporting young people to thrive. Through the LYTP, the needs of young people and the professionals that support them in 12 Local Authorities across England will be strategically developed and invested in. This national and hyperlocal approach will deepen the services available to young people, improve outcomes for young people, and most importantly, is being actively shaped by local young people in these communities.”
Stuart Dunne, CEO Youth Focus North West, said:
“Youth Focus North West is pleased to be working alongside a range of partners on the Local Transformation programme. This mixture of national, regional and local expertise working together with the aim of providing locally determined support and guidance for youth provision can only be a force for good.”
Chris Murray, CEO Young People Foundation Trust, said:
“This pilot is a turning point for youth services. It’s a chance to bring together local expertise, national ambition, and the lived experiences of young people to create something truly transformative. By working across the 12 areas, we’re laying the foundations for a more connected, inclusive, and impactful youth sector.”
John Downes, Designated Safeguard Lead for StreetGames, said:
“StreetGames are delighted to be a partner in the collaborative approach to LYTP led by the National Youth Agency. The opportunity to work with the local authorities involved in the programme to support the strengthening of youth provision in their areas is a hugely positive one. StreetGames bridges the worlds of sport and youth work and our involvement in this work aims to strengthen the providers of positive activities for young people, involving local young people in sharing their views and shaping what is offered for them”
Baroness Anne Longfield CBE, Executive Chair of the Centre for Young Lives, said:
“The Centre for Young Lives is delighted to be a partner in this potentially transformative programme shaping the way that twelve local authorities meet the needs of young people through youth services. Too often our systems are outdated, underfunded, or disjointed, leaving young people to miss out on opportunities and fall through the cracks. We hope that by joining forces to strengthen youth support we can create a system that catches young people when they need it, builds their resilience, and enables them to thrive.”
Cllr Arooj Shah, Chair of the LGA’s Children and Young People Board, said:
“We are pleased to support the Local Youth Transformation Programme, which brings together local insight, national expertise and the voices of young people to shape services that truly reflect local priorities. Councils, who know their areas best, work closely with their communities and actively work with young people, who bring fresh perspectives. Councils need to have the tools, resources and powers to work effectively as system leaders to improve outcomes for young people and their area as a whole. This collaboration offers a vital opportunity to build stronger youth provision that’s rooted in place and designed with the people it serves.”
