Youth Employment UK’s 2024 Youth Voice Census offers a comprehensive look into the honest experiences of over 5,000 young people across the UK, highlighting the challenges they face in life, education, and work. The findings from this year’s report show that young people are increasingly concerned about their safety, and the impact of the cost of living crisis is deepening, affecting their access to support and opportunities.

Here are the key findings:

• Anxiety remains a significant barrier: 43% of young people feel that anxiety will be one of their biggest obstacles to finding work, either now or in the future. In fact, 3 in 5 young people report feeling anxious in their daily lives.
• Declining confidence in education: Only 36% of young people in secondary school feel that they understand the skills employers are looking for. Additionally, young people in education are feeling less confident across all employability skills.
• Diminishing access to opportunities: Access to sports clubs has dropped by 6 percentage points, and participation in enrichment activities has decreased by 9 percentage points, limiting the personal growth and employability skills that these activities provide.
• Positive experiences in the workplace: Despite these challenges, work remains a positive environment for many young people. 83% believe their working environment is supportive, 70% are happy in their current role, and 70% would describe their employer as youth-friendly.

At Sport 4 Life UK, we are dedicated to helping young people overcome these barriers by providing the skills, qualifications, and support they need to find meaningful work and build successful futures. As highlighted in the report, work is a positive destination for many young people, and we will continue supporting those facing unemployment towards these positive outcomes.

We are also committed to addressing the mental health challenges young people face, particularly around anxiety. This report emphasises the importance of our increased focus on mental health and wellbeing, ensuring that young people have the resources they need to succeed.

A big thank you to Laura-Jane Rawlings MBE DL and her team for conducting this crucial research. We look forward to continuing our work in supporting young people and ensuring they have the opportunities they need to thrive.