Research reports

Employment, skills and economic security

Disruptive Futures: the young people who are changing the face of the future of work and entrepreneurship

The Social Innovation Partnership · 2022

This report explores how young people from Black, Asian, and ethnic minority communities and low socio-economic backgrounds in Brixton are building creative enterprises outside of the traditional creative and digital industries. Through in-depth interviews with 13 'Disruptors', the research identifies four key characteristics — cross-cultural dexterity, cultural integrity, agile disruptive networks, and being limitless — that underpin their entrepreneurial success. The report finds that these young people are operating highly innovative ventures largely below the radar, often despite systemic barriers including institutional racism, lack of access to finance, and exclusion from mainstream creative sector networks. It makes recommendations for building disruptive hubs, improving access to funding, and facilitating more equitable relationships between Disruptors and established organisations in the creative and digital industries.

Co-producedInterviewSecondary analysisLondon

Mental health and wellbeing

A Friend in Need: young people are showing they care more than ever

Co-op Foundation · 2022

This report presents findings from a UK-wide survey of 2,000 young people aged 10–25, exploring levels, causes and impacts of youth loneliness in 2022. It finds that 95% of young people feel lonely at some point, with 16–25-year-olds three times more likely to be chronically lonely than 10–15-year-olds. Despite increasing stigma and a slight decline in young people seeking help for themselves, 83% have taken action to help peers who may be lonely. The report highlights the cost of living crisis, digital access gaps, and rural stigma as factors shaping young people's experiences of loneliness.

SurveyUK-wide

Mental health and wellbeing

Generation Isolation 2022

OnSide Youth Zones · 2022

This report presents findings from a survey of over 5,000 young people aged 11–18 in England about how they spend their time outside school, their social connections, and their awareness of youth services. Key findings show that 77% of young people spend most of their free time at home, 41% lack opportunities to meet new people, and 56% report high or very high levels of anxiety. The report also finds that while youth centres have a strongly positive impact on attendees' lives — particularly in enabling friendships and building confidence — only 8% of young people currently attend one.

SurveyEngland

Mental health and wellbeing

18 months lost and found: Reflections from a transnational participatory action research project exploring young people’s lived experiences of the COVID-19 crisis

Ecorys UK · 2022

This transnational participatory action research project engaged 70 young people aged 14–19 from the UK, Italy, Lebanon, and Singapore as co-researchers over 18 months (April 2020–November 2021) to document their lived experiences of the COVID-19 crisis. Young people reported significant educational disruption, worsening mental health, and a sense of political marginalisation, but also found unexpected opportunities for personal growth, community action, and democratic engagement. The project highlights young people's agency and resourcefulness during the pandemic, challenging media narratives that portrayed them as reckless or passive. Recommendations address governments, schools, media, and young people themselves on improving participation, mental health support, digital access, and educational accountability.

Co-producedParticipatoryLongitudinalUK-wide

Arts, culture and creativity

Looking Beyond Lockdown: Arts Organisations Supporting Young People's Wellbeing

People's Palace Projects / QMUL / Battersea Arts Centre / Contact / NTW / Theatre Royal Stratford East / Dirty Protest · 2022

This mixed-methods study examined how five UK community arts organisations (based in Manchester, London, and Wales) supported young people's mental health and wellbeing during and after COVID-19 lockdowns, including the shift to online delivery. The quantitative strand surveyed 141 young people aged 16–29 about their pandemic experiences and arts engagement, while the qualitative strand drew on semi-structured interviews with 46 young people, 28 staff, and 16 stakeholders. Key findings show that while the move to digital expanded reach and offered safety for some shy participants, it also reduced connection, deepened digital poverty, and eroded the informal bonds central to participatory arts. The report recommends improved mental health training for arts staff, hybrid delivery models, and stronger cross-sector partnerships to sustain support for young people post-pandemic.

Young people consultedSurveyInterviewEnglandWales

Criminal justice and youth violence

Children, Violence and Vulnerability: A Youth Endowment Fund Report into Young People's Experiences of Violence

Youth Endowment Fund · 2022

This report presents findings from a survey of 2,025 children aged 13–17 across England and Wales, examining their experiences of violence, fear of violence, and related behaviours. Key findings include that 14% of teenage children were victims of violence in the past 12 months, 55% had seen real-life violence on social media, and 65% had changed their behaviour due to fear of violence. The report also analyses national data across ten indicators of violence and vulnerability, finding that while some forms of violence fell during the pandemic, homicides and serious violence have largely returned to pre-Covid levels, and racial disproportionality in the youth justice system is growing.

SurveySecondary analysisEnglandWales

Criminal justice and youth violence

Lancashire Youth Commission: Final Report to the Police and Crime Commissioner & the Violence Reduction Unit

Lancashire Youth Commission / Leaders Unlocked · 2022

The Lancashire Youth Commission (LYC), a peer-led project of 32 young people aged 14–25, engaged over 2,400 young people across Lancashire on six priority topics: mental health, hate crime, social media and online crime, abusive relationships, drugs and alcohol, and relationships with the police. Young people reported feeling unheard and unsupported by both police and education settings across all themes, with particular concerns about stigma around mental health, under-reporting of hate crimes and abuse, and the ease of accessing drugs via social media. The report makes detailed recommendations to Lancashire Police, the Police and Crime Commissioner, and the Violence Reduction Network on improving services, education, and trust with young people.

Co-producedSurveyInterviewNorth West

Mental health and wellbeing

Belong Collective 'We choose to be here' : Why Youth Organisations Are Critical Support Mechanisms for Young People Facing Loneliness

UK Youth (Belong Collective) · 2022

This report explores how youth organisations have adapted their approaches to supporting young people facing loneliness in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. It finds that youth organisations have been at the forefront of tackling youth loneliness—developing digital offers, expanding detached youth work, building cross-sector partnerships, and creating inclusive and identity-led activities. The research highlights that young people want a more central role in designing and leading solutions, including peer-led groups, youth participation forums, and community events. The report makes policy and practice recommendations for funders, policy-makers, and youth sector leaders to invest in and empower youth organisations and young people as key agents in tackling loneliness.

Co-producedSurveyInterviewUK-wide

Digital life and online safety

Digital Wellbeing Report: Care Experienced Community

Who Cares? Scotland · 2022

Who Cares? Scotland's Digital Wellbeing Group — four care-experienced members — designed and ran a survey of 92 care-experienced people across 24 Scottish local authorities to explore online safety, digital relationships, and digital rights. The findings show that while 65–66% of respondents feel safe online, 65% had never accessed online safety training, and cyberbullying, fraud, and harassment were the main concerns. Digital connection was strongly valued for maintaining family and friendship ties, and 80% of participants were aware of their digital rights, though the group identified clear gaps and plan to create accessible resources including a podcast, information pack, and storybook to address them.

Co-producedSurveyParticipatoryScotland

Education, learning and attainment

Young Persons' Money Index 2020-21: examining the delivery of financial education in schools and the financial capability of young people in the UK

London Institute of Banking and Finance · 2021

This annual survey tracks the delivery of financial education in UK secondary schools and assesses the financial capability of young people aged 15–18. Key findings show that only 64% of students have access to financial education in school — unchanged from the previous year — and 75% say they get most of their financial understanding from parents rather than school. Despite this, 83% of young people want more financial education in school, and 67% worry about their personal finances, with 59% reporting that Covid-19 has made them more anxious about money. The report concludes that financial education should be made a statutory requirement and included in the Ofsted Framework.

SurveyUK-wide

Mental health and wellbeing

Locked down, looking out: how young people embraced co-operative values to tackle the challenges of lockdown

Co-op Foundation · 2021

This report explores how young people aged 10–25 in the UK experienced loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic and the actions they took to support themselves and others. Key findings show that 73% of young people felt lonely at least occasionally during lockdown, with more than half saying it had worsened since March 2020. Despite this, many young people demonstrated co-operative behaviours — reaching out to friends, making new connections, and taking action to help peers — with 82% having taken at least one action to help someone who felt lonely. The report highlights both the resilience of young people and ongoing barriers such as stigma around discussing loneliness.

SurveyUK-wide

Mental health and wellbeing

Girls' Attitudes Survey 2021

Girlguiding · 2021

Girlguiding's 2021 Girls' Attitudes Survey captures how Covid-19 has affected girls and young women aged 7–21 across the UK, finding a sharp decline in happiness and significant rises in loneliness, anxiety and online harms. Girls report struggling with remote learning, worrying about falling behind academically, and facing ongoing barriers to STEM subjects. The pandemic has also shifted career aspirations and heightened financial worries, while the majority experienced some form of harmful online content in the past year. The findings point to an urgent need for greater support for girls' mental health, education and safety online.

Co-producedSurveyInterviewUK-wide

Mental health and wellbeing

The Impact of Covid-19 on England's Youth Organisations

UK Youth · 2021

This report presents findings from a large-scale questionnaire completed by 1,759 youth organisations across England during November 2020, capturing the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the sector and the young people they serve. Key findings show that 64% of participating organisations were at financial risk of closure within 12 months, with reduced income, increased costs, and depleted reserves driving the crisis. Youth organisations reported a substantial increase in demand for services — particularly around mental health, employment, and vulnerability to negative activities — while their capacity to respond was severely curtailed by restrictions and financial pressures. The report calls for urgent, unrestricted long-term funding and non-financial support to prevent widespread closure and help organisations rebuild their workforce and adapt services.

SurveyOtherEngland

Mental health and wellbeing

Pandemic Stories: Experiences of Londoners Disproportionately Affected by COVID-19 (PAR project)

Toynbee Hall · 2021

This participatory action research project, co-produced by Toynbee Hall and 17 peer researchers, investigated the impact of COVID-19 on Londoners disproportionately affected by the crisis, including those on low incomes, in insecure housing, with disabilities, or from ethnic minority backgrounds. Through 50 in-depth interviews and surveys, the project found that reduced household income, increased costs, barriers to advice, and social isolation had severely damaged participants' financial health and mental wellbeing. The research produced concrete policy recommendations around a minimum income guarantee, employment support, affordable internet access, community infrastructure, and inclusive public health communications. Peer researchers were central to designing the research, conducting interviews, and driving the policy influencing campaign.

Co-producedInterviewSurveyLondon

Employment, skills and economic security

Breaking Down Barriers Working Towards Birmingham’s Future Supporting Younger People Into Employment

Birmingham City Council / Birmingham Employment Taskforce · 2021

This report by Birmingham City Council investigates the barriers facing young people aged 16–24 in accessing employment and work experience in Birmingham, with a particular focus on the impact of Covid-19. Based on surveys and interviews with nearly 2,000 young people, 300 businesses, and education stakeholders, it finds that the pandemic did not create new barriers but exposed and worsened pre-existing inequalities linked to socioeconomic status, ethnicity, care experience, and mental health. Youth unemployment in Birmingham stood at approximately 20% at the time of publication, substantially above the national average. The report makes ten practical recommendations including improving public transport access, supporting mental health, developing a city-wide mentoring scheme, and creating a 'one stop shop' online hub for employment opportunities.

SurveyInterviewWest Midlands

Mental health and wellbeing

In this together: young people's experiences of loneliness in the spring/summer 2020 lockdown, and beyond

Co-op Foundation · 2020

This report examines how the spring/summer 2020 coronavirus lockdown affected loneliness among young people aged 10 to 25 in the UK. It finds that 76% felt lonely at least occasionally during lockdown, up from 59% before restrictions, with loneliness remaining elevated even after restrictions eased. The report also explores young people's attitudes to talking about loneliness, the actions they took to cope, and their ideas for what support would help tackle youth loneliness going forward.

SurveyUK-wide

Mental health and wellbeing

LockdownLowdown: long-term impacts of COVID-19 on young people in Scotland

Young Scot / Scottish Youth Parliament / YouthLink Scotland · 2020

This report presents findings from the second #LockdownLowdown survey, conducted in autumn 2020 with over 6,000 young people across Scotland, exploring the long-term impacts of COVID-19. Key findings show that while most young people had returned to in-person learning, significant concerns remained around exam uncertainty, online learning difficulties, and falling behind. Mental health emerged as a major issue, with nearly two-fifths of respondents reporting poor mental wellbeing, alongside worries about employment prospects, relationships, and access to clear and trusted information about restrictions.

SurveyFocus groupScotland

Mental health and wellbeing

Coronavirus and Me (national survey of children and young people in Wales)

Children's Commissioner for Wales · 2020

This report presents findings from the 'Coronavirus and Me' survey, focusing specifically on 4,417 young people aged 15–18 in Wales who responded during May 2020. It explores how COVID-19 restrictions affected their mental health and wellbeing, education, social lives, and future prospects, including the cancellation of exams. Key findings include that 71% cited not seeing friends as the biggest impact, 51% felt unmotivated to study at home, and many reported worsening emotional wellbeing and anxiety about their futures. The report makes recommendations to Welsh Government and educational settings on supporting young people's rights to information, education, wellbeing, and family life.

SurveySecondary analysisWales

Mental health and wellbeing

LockdownLowdown: what young people in Scotland are thinking about COVID-19 (phase 1)

Scottish Youth Parliament / YouthLink Scotland / Young Scot · 2020

This survey of 2,421 young people across Scotland captured their concerns about COVID-19 during the first national lockdown in April 2020. Key findings show that nearly two-thirds were moderately or extremely concerned about the impact of coronavirus on their future, and around two-fifths were concerned about their own mental wellbeing. Young people reported least confidence in accessing information about mental health support and financial support, and over half expressed concern about their ability to access their rights. The findings were shared with stakeholders to feed into policy design and service provision.

SurveyScotland

Mental health and wellbeing

Samaritans Pushed from Pillar to Post: Young Men's Mental Health

Samaritans · 2020

This Samaritans report examines the experiences of people in England with lived experience of non-suicidal self-harm, mapping the support they sought and how useful they found it. It finds that people who self-harm face significant barriers across the entire spectrum of care — being deemed too high-risk for some services while not meeting the threshold for others — leaving many without effective support. Key findings include that mental health services rarely address self-harm directly, GPs frequently fail to offer follow-up or referrals, and no single support type consistently meets people's needs. The report makes thirteen recommendations spanning NHS services, GP training, school and university provision, online safety, and voluntary sector funding.

SurveyInterviewEngland

Mental health and wellbeing

Girls' Attitudes Survey 2020

Girlguiding · 2020

The 2020 Girls' Attitudes Survey, now in its 12th year, asked over 2,000 girls and young women aged 7–21 across the UK about the pressures and challenges they face. The report finds that appearance pressure remains a persistent barrier to confidence and wellbeing, worsened by increased online exposure during Covid-19 lockdown. Girls want greater equality in politics, sport, gaming, and the workplace, and are concerned about climate change and fast fashion. Girls from BAME backgrounds, those identifying as LGBQ, and those with disabilities consistently report worse outcomes across nearly all themes.

Co-producedSurveyUK-wide

Care experience and family

Impact of COVID-19 on Care Experienced People

Who Cares? Scotland · 2020

This report by Who Cares? Scotland presents a second wave of analysis of how the Covid-19 pandemic and associated lockdown measures impacted care-experienced people in Scotland between March and May 2020. Drawing on data from a helpline, advocacy cases, and participation activities, the report finds that care-experienced people faced compounding challenges including financial hardship and destitution, deteriorating mental health, digital exclusion, disrupted care placements, and reduced professional support. The report makes concrete calls to action to the Scottish Government across five thematic areas: poverty, health and wellbeing, information and participation, provision of care, and support.

OtherCase studyScotland

Education, learning and attainment

Young Persons' Money Index 2019: examining the delivery of financial education in schools and the financial capability of young people in the UK

London Institute of Banking and Finance · 2019

This annual survey of over 2,000 UK secondary school pupils aged 15–18 tracks access to financial education in schools and young people's financial knowledge, attitudes and behaviours. Five years after financial education was added to the national curriculum, 64% of students report having access (up from 29% in 2015), but most receive it through other subjects rather than dedicated lessons, and only 18% had a lesson in the last month. The majority (69%) worry about money, 86% say they get most of their financial understanding from parents or self-learning rather than school, and significant gaps in knowledge around credit, interest and debt remain. Most young people want more financial education in school, with 60% preferring it as a separate subject.

SurveyUK-wide

Mental health and wellbeing

Girls' Attitudes Survey 2019

Girlguiding · 2019

Girlguiding's annual survey of over 2,000 girls and young women aged 7–21 across the UK explores their attitudes on environmental action, access to play and sport, life online and media pressures, bullying, and skills and education. Key findings include that 88% feel it is urgent to do more to protect the environment, 79% have experienced bullying or unacceptable behaviours, and 64% of those aged 11–21 feel there is too much pressure on exam performance. Only 21% of girls say they receive the support they need to manage exam-related stress, and many face barriers to safe outdoor spaces and equitable careers advice.

Co-producedSurveyInterviewUK-wide

Results