OnSide Youth Zones · 2024
OnSide's third annual Generation Isolation study surveyed 5,213 young people aged 11–18 in England about how they spend their time outside school. The research finds that 76% spend most of their free time on screens, 44% report high or very high feelings of loneliness, and 51% report high or very high anxiety. Despite these challenges, 93% of young people who do attend a youth centre say it has made a positive difference to their lives, with social connection and friendship cited as the main benefits.