Redesigning youth support with young people

Our stakeholder group at the Launch Event on 27 November; Tris Lumley (NPC), Jenny Lowthrop (Project Manager), Abi Handley (Project Facilitator), Sami Gichki (Young Consultant), Lauren Bennett (Young Consultant), Ruth Pryce (PHF) | Photo courtesy of the Open Youth Infrastructure stakeholder group 

In February, when I joined the Open Youth Infrastructure project, I was unaware of the scale of devastation being experienced by young people and the professionals working in the youth sector.  

Over 11 months of work, which included an 8-week research sprint into the experiences of the Bath youth sector community, I would often leave calls with frontline staff in tears or with a heavy heart. 

It upset me to learn about the crisis affecting young people and the fact that the professionals we expect to support them are emotionally and physically exhausted. It’s not fair.  

The solutions we uncovered with young people 

On November 27th we launched Open Youth Infrastructure to revolutionise the youth sector and ask all youth sector stakeholders to do things differently. We need to update the way we fund work, our approach of collaboration and our integration of youth voice because the current systems are failing us.  

OYI is not here to deliver a new, swanky system to excite the sector — we are delivering a lifeline for professionals and young people alike.

Youth members like Jahanzeb & Abdullah pitched our solutions to a panel of ‘dragons’ – Photo courtesy of the Open Youth Infrastructure stakeholder group  

With further funding, we will have the opportunity to facilitate a community of support for the youth sector, enhancing the services and opportunities available to young people.  

We will deliver: 

• A facilitated network that connects youth organisations across the UK, allowing them to collaborate, share best practices and challenges, and find comfort in a supportive community. 
• A roadmap highlighting key challenges and opportunities within the sector and the project, while outlining how youth-powered insights can be used to deliver this solution. 
• A toolkit that youth organisations and young people can use to embed digital infrastructure and data sharing into their work, without overcomplicated technical jargon or inaccessible systems. 
• A system that seamlessly connects youth services, so young people don’t have to repeatedly recount their trauma before finding effective care. 

With the recent launch of the National Youth Strategy, it is clear this solution is needed.  

DCMS state they will “strengthen youth services through £5 million to improve local partnerships, better information sharing, and digital infrastructure, ensuring young people receive high-quality, safe, and effective support in their communities.” 

On a personal note, this project has opened my eyes to true leadership and collaboration.  

 I’ve learned the importance of humanising our work and approaching everything we do with empathy and courage.

On reflection, 2025 has been a year of growth and challenge and as we wind down for the holidays, my one wish is to be granted the resources needed to deliver this solution, so that all young people can find their community of support and live a safe and happy childhood.