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2025 National Youth Strategy summary for outdoor youth spaces and councils

On the 10th of December, the 2025 Youth Matters, Your National Youth Strategy was published.

This is the first national youth strategy for England in more than twenty years. It sets out a ten-year plan impacting around 10.6 million young people aged 10 to 25.

If you are a school leader, youth worker, parish councillor or you help shape local facilities for children and young people, this 2025 National Youth Strategy summary is for you.

In this blog, we look at what the strategy could mean for youth spaces, parks and play areas. And how communities plan for teenagers and young adults.

At the heart of the strategy is a simple idea. Every young person should have:

• A safe place to go
• Someone who cares
• A community they feel part of

For local authorities, parish councils and organisations that look after parks, play areas and youth spaces, this strategy is likely to guide youth funding and youth policy through the rest of this decade.

Why a National Youth Strategy now?

The strategy starts with a blunt diagnosis, taking information from young representatives from all corners of England. Young people today are described as the most connected and the most isolated generation at the same time.

Over the last 15 years there have been some big changes in youth services in England:

 Local spending on youth services in England fell by 73 percent

• More than 1,000 youth centres closed
• More than 4,500 youth worker roles were lost

Many young people say they are worried about money, housing and future jobs. They often feel less safe on the streets and on public transport.

Meaning, more time is spent indoors and online. Parks, youth clubs and public spaces that used to feel lively can now feel empty or unwelcoming.

Recent national plans reflect this picture. In the 2025 Budget there is a commitment of £18 million of play park funding, with money expected to focus first on areas with the least existing provision.

The 2025 National Youth Strategy is based on the views of more than 14,000 young people aged 10 to 21, and up to 25 for young people with disabilities.

It sets out how government intends to increase opportunities, outdoor facilities and access to activities for more young people across England.

The 3 big shifts in the National Youth Strategy 2025

From national to local

More decisions and responsibility sit with local areas, with funding and youth offers shaped around local needs.

From fragmented to collaborative

Services like councils, schools, health, employment and youth organisations are expected to work together rather than in silos.

From excluded to empowered

Young people are expected to be active partners in decisions, with more co-produced policies and a commitment to give 16-year-olds the vote.

Taken together, these shifts mean more local control over youth provision, more joined up planning across services, and a stronger expectation that young people themselves help shape spaces, activities and support offers in their communities.

Chapter 2: ‘Places to go and things to do’

The 2025 National Youth Strategy is split into two chapters.

• Chapter 1: People who care
• Chapter 2: Places to go and things to do

A summary of Youth Matters Strategy: Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of the National Youth Strategy focuses on “Places to go and things to do” for young people.

It sets out five actions:  

• Action 4: Richer lives (enrichment activities)
• Action 5: Good work (education and skills)
• Action 6: Keeping young people safe (community and transport safety)
• Action 7: Places to go to (youth spaces)
• Action 8: Health and wellbeing (mental and physical health support)

For those involved in the improvement of play parks, play park equipment and youth spaces, Action 7 is where investment in physical environments is set out. While Action 4 shapes expectations for how often and how meaningfully those spaces are used.

Action 4: Richer lives (enrichment, sport and outdoor activity)

This is about widening access to enrichment activities, with a stated aim to halve the participation gap between disadvantaged young people and their peers by 2035.

• A Richer Young Lives Fund, worth over £60 million over three years, aimed at grassroots youth work and activities in underserved areas. With young people involved in designing and deciding how the fund is used.
• More than £600 million over three years for the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme. Which will continue to provide activities and food in school holidays, with an expectation that local authorities consider suitable offers for teenagers and roles where teenagers help lead sessions.
• A target to expand Cadet Forces by 30% by 2030, particularly in areas with higher deprivation and more young people not in education, employment or training.
• Direction to public bodies such as Sport England and Arts Council England. Focusing on reducing gaps in access to sport, art, music and creative activities close to where young people live.
• A commitment that schools protect two hours of PE for all pupils. Alongside new Physical Education and School Sport Partnerships and an Enrichment Framework so every school and college is expected to offer enrichment in areas including outdoor and adventure.
• £22.5 million over three years for up to 400 schools in the most deprived areas to help them meet these enrichment benchmarks.
• £132.5 million Every Child Can programme (2024–2028) will increase disadvantaged young people’s access to enrichment in culture, sport and outdoor spaces.

Action 7: Places to go to (youth spaces, parks and access to nature)

Focuses on the physical spaces young people can use outside home and school.

Including youth clubs, community centres, libraries, parks and other shared facilities.

£350 million over four years through the Better Youth Spaces programme to refurbish or build up to 250 youth facilities in areas identified as needing them most. Including funding for equipment and refurbishments so they are designed specifically for young people.

Over £400 million over four years for local community sport facilities, with a stated focus on under-represented groups such as women and girls, young people with SEND and those in disadvantaged areas.

£150 million in 95 places via the Pride in Place Impact Fund to support shared spaces such as green spaces and play areas, local high streets and wider public spaces.

A commitment to bring youth services together in existing spaces, such as libraries, religious buildings, shopping centres and school sites outside teaching hours. And to work with local authorities and community providers to secure and publicise youth facilities according to local need.

A stated aim that everyone should have access to a green or blue space within walking distance of home. Supported by an Access to Nature Green Paper and work with partners on outdoor learning, youth-friendly parks, outdoor spaces, play and residentials.

Transport measures, including long-term investment in local transport networks. Maintaining bus services and extending the £3 bus fare cap, alongside a proposal to allow youth spaces funding to be used to address transport barriers. For example through grants for minibuses or mobile youth services.

In simple terms, that is a lot of focus on places where young people can spend time, be active and feel safe. It reaches beyond traditional indoor youth clubs into parks, multi-use games areas, skate and wheeled sports, outdoor gyms, informal hang out spaces and routes that make it easier to get there.

What this means for parks and outdoor play facilities

So, what does all this mean in practice for people planning or upgrading parks, play parks and youth spaces?

A few clear themes stand out:

 Spaces for teenagers as well as younger children

• Designing for safety and belonging
• Co-design with young people
• Thinking long-term

How Playtime by Fawns can support the National Youth Strategy

For more than 35 years Fawns has worked with schools, councils and community groups to design and build outdoor play equipment across the UK. Experience that aligns with the aims of the National Youth Strategy 2025.

Playtime by Fawns can support local authorities and parish councils to:

• Review existing parks and youth spaces through the lens of the new strategy
• Design outdoor areas that work for different age groups, including teenagers
• Create spaces that combine social areas, active play and sport
• Ensure layouts and equipment choices support safety, inclusion and long-term value

From early concept sketches through to installation and aftercare, the focus is on turning national youth policy into local, concrete spaces that young people are excited to use.

Get in touch with our friendly team to get started on planning your local council park transformations.

Not ready to start designing yet? Contact our team to register your interest in improving your local play spaces and request a free brochure.

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