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OnSide Youth Research 2022

To empower and enable young people at scale we need to deeply understand the reality of their lives and respond to their needs.  

To do this, we asked 5,000 young people aged 11-18 about their lives outside of school, their perception of the opportunities open to them and awareness of services designed to support them. 

View the key findings infographic

HOW YOUNG PEOPLE ARE SPENDING THEIR TIME

80%

spend some time watching streamed content (Netflix, Youtube etc) in their free time outside of school

77%

use their phone to communicate with friends (e.g. through social media or WhatsApp)

61%

watch TV and play computer games outside of school.

17%

of young people who work a part time job say they are doing this more than they did pre-covid

73%

spend most of their free time on screens

WHO DO YOUNG PEOPLE SPEND THEIR FREE TIME WITH?

19%

of young people spend most of their free time alone

32%

of young people spend most of their free time with their family, parents or carers

33%

spend most of their free time online communicating with friends

13%

spend most of their free time in person with their friends

WHERE DO YOUNG PEOPLE SPEND THEIR FREE TIME?

51%

of young people spend most of their free time in their bedrooms

77%

of young people spend most of their free time at home

1%

of young people spend most of their free time hanging out on the streets

Young people and youth services

92% of young people do not attend a youth centre, and almost half of young people (46%) do not know what youth work is when asked. Of people who said that youth centres have had a positive difference on their life, 31% of them said that making friends was their reason for thinking this, making it the most popular reason.

81%

of young people that attend a youth centre say it has a positive impact on their lives

80%

of young people say going to a youth club has offered then new experiences and opportunities

75%

of young people say going to a youth club has given them new skills

66%

of young people say going to a youth club has helped them overcome the difficulties they face

The impact youth centres have on young people's lives

WHO ARE YOUNG PEOPLE'S TRUSTED ADULTS?

91%

of young people named parents as people they feel they can trust and talk to

40%

of young people consider their teacher to be a trusted adult

40%

of young people do not have a trusted adult in their life outside of their family

3%

of young people do not have a trusted adult they can trust and talk to

WHAT OPPORTUNITIES DO YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL?

85%

feel able to relax and have fun outside of school

41%

do not have opportunities to meet new people or make friends beyond their social group outside of school

20%

do not have the opportunity to learn the skills to prepare them for adulthood

20%

do not have opportunities to take part in sport and physical activity outside of school

26%

of young people say they do not have a safe space where they feel belonging

HOW YOUNG PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT THEIR LIVES

63%

reported high or very high levels of satisfaction with their life

56%

reported high or very high feelings of anxiety

62%

reported high or very high feelings that the things they do in their life are worthwhile

64%

reported high or very high levels of happiness

At OnSide we believe passionately that face-to-face social connections with peers build young people’s confidence, self-esteem, resilience, empathy and communication skills – supporting their health and wellbeing and laying the foundations for them to thrive into adulthood. That’s why it’s vital that we have open, honest public conversation about the potential long-term implications for young people of their increasingly reduced social connections.

Youth centres are vital hubs of belonging and connection for young people helping them build rich social lives, develop and grow in safe spaces designed to support them, and we believe every young person deserves access to high-quality youth provision.