What is Youth Matters?
In July 2005 the government launched its green paper Youth Matters setting out proposals designed to improve outcomes for 13-19-year-olds. It proposed that young people should have:
- More things to do and places to go in their local area - and more choice
and influence over what is available
- More opportunities to volunteer and to make a contribution to their local
community
- Better information, advice and guidance about issues that matter to them,
delivered in the way they want to receive it
- Better support when they need extra help to deal with problems
Click to download the Youth Matters green paper.
Youth Matters: Next Steps
A consultation on Youth Matters was run from July to November 2005. With over 19,000 responses from young people, this is one of the largest responses to a government consultation from any one group.
The government's response to the consultation, Youth Matters: Next Steps, set out the vision for empowering young people, giving them "somewhere to go, something to do and someone to talk to".
Click to download Youth Matters: Next Steps (March 2006).
How does Youth Matters fit in with other work?
Our aim is to develop an education system where all young people have the opportunities to learn in ways that motivate and stretch them: a system where, through their own hard work and that of people who work with them, young people are able to qualify themselves for success in life.
The reforms, laid out in the 14-19 white paper, will provide all young people with an opportunity to follow a curriculum which motivates and engages them, preparing them for life and work.
What happens outside of formal education and training is equally important and of concern to us all. We want all young people to have happy, enriching, diverse experiences. We will ensure that a wide range of activities are made available for them to develop the personal, social and emotional skills needed to thrive in today's society and economy.
We recognise that some young people face difficulties and hardships in their lives that can limit the opportunities available to them and impact upon their wellbeing and progress. They may also need help to steer clear of risks. The government has dedicated several programmes of work to help limit the problems associated with substance misuse, offending, teenage pregnancy and homelessness.
PSA targets
Success is measured by key public service agreement targets on the following areas:
- Reducing teenage conceptions
- Reducing substance misuse
- Reducing the proportion of young people not in education, employment or training
- Increasing the proportion of young people aged 19 achieving level 2 and 3 qualifications.
Click to read more about teenage pregnancy and substance misuse on this website.
Reshaping youth services
Through our Youth Matters reforms we are set on delivering a radical reshaping of services for all teenagers, with more intensive support for those who need it. We are shifting from intervention to prevention services are working together more effectively to support youth development to deliver a personalised early response to the problems teenagers face.
We know that when young people participate in decisions affecting their learning and social experience they are more likely to achieve and become active citizens. We will empower young people to shape their local services, involving them in local decision making and providing opportunities for them to give something back to their communities.
The Youth Matters reforms are also about striking a balance between rights and responsibilities. We hope that all young people will benefit from the reforms, make positive choices about their lives, and respect the new opportunities given to them.
Click for more on Youth Matters.
This page was last updated on 18 October 2006
