Youth social action
Youth social action empowers young people to lead change in their communities and shape the decisions that affect their lives. It builds confidence, skills and stronger connections between young people and the places they live.
Youth social action brings young people together with partners and communities to create positive change. It focuses on giving young people a genuine voice in decisions, ensuring their ideas, experiences and perspectives shape the future.
Through collaboration, young people co-design solutions, lead projects and influence local priorities. This helps challenge negative perceptions and highlights the valuable role young people play in strengthening communities.
By creating opportunities for young people to take the lead, youth social action builds confidence, develops skills and fosters a sense of belonging. It supports more inclusive decision-making and helps create communities that are shaped by the people who live in them.
Recent national research has highlighted the growing disconnect between generations. Only 41% of people trust young people and 68% have not seen, or known of, young people taking social action in their communities. We need to change this. Where the public are aware of young people taking part in social action, research shows much more positive attitudes, with communities being strengthened.
There are a number of ways you can support the project further. Why not take a look and contact us if you’d like any further information.
- Share the project on social media using #YSOIpswich
- Sign up to the Power of Youth Charter
- Consider sponsoring the project. Contact us for the range of ways you can support
“
Volunteering has definitely made me feel more confident and has boosted my self-esteem!… it has been such an amazing experience so far and I’m excited to dive even further into our volunteering work
– Jamey (15)
Case study: Youth social action in Ipswich
Youth social action in Suffolk is creating meaningful opportunities for young people to lead and shape their communities. In Ipswich alone, 624 young people volunteered, supporting over 2,200 people through projects including youth-led festivals, Hack events and community initiatives.
Young people are not just taking part, they are designing and delivering activity that brings communities together. As one volunteer shared, “It wasn’t just a festival, it showed that young people can run something big and meaningful for the whole town.”
This work is building confidence, strengthening connections and demonstrating the real impact of youth-led change.
Resources
Links
At the Ipswich Hope Hack young people gathered at Ipswich Town Football Club to develop innovative solutions addressing issues that affect them directly. The Ipswich Hope Hack was a pivotal part of a nationwide initiative by The Hope Collective.
Videos
Developing cultural youth leadership in Ipswich
Volunteering Matters and NCS brought together a group of inspiring young people to The Hold in Ipswich to share and capture the diverse stories of their community. They tackled the barriers youth face in engaging with arts and heritage, creating a space where their voices are valued and celebrated.
Get in touch
If you’re interested in finding our more about our youth social action work.
