Why involving young people in decisions about their lives is a recipe for success

Here, Ali Cooper, our Senior Policy Advisor on Child Poverty, shares some of what is in the report and explains why it’s important that young people's voices are included in decisions about their lives. 

What did the young people we spoke to tell us? 

Young people told us that getting good, nutritious food, in the places and spaces that work for them is key to them getting on in life.  

Different issues were raised, such as the availability and cost of accessing food. 

“Young people talked about feeling shunned from food banks, community kitchens, or even just public places to sit and eat food. Your mental wellbeing is impacted if you don’t feel welcome in your own community. It can make you feel very helpless.” Kyson*, Youth Advisory Group member. 

Sharing food was also important to the young people we spoke to, including with friends and family.  

“I like places where families or friends can hang out and eat together, like a comfy place with cats maybe. That’s really important.” Chelsea* – young person from Burslem.  

Young people we spoke to also expressed interest in cooking. 

What do young people want to see change? 

Based on the insight gathered from the young people we spoke to, we tested some of our recommendations for change with over 600 Co-op members aged 16-25 who supported our ideas, including: 

1. Local Food Partnerships in every community  
   Young people told us they want to be directly involved in local food initiatives. That’s why we’re asking local authorities to establish food partnerships that include young people from the beginning. These partnerships can bring together businesses, community groups, and councils to improve access to food for those who need it most. 
    
2. Expanding retail discount schemes  
   Consider ways that 16 and 17 year-olds can access discounted food by amending the terms of their retail discount schemes or considering the introduction of other discounts.  
    
3. Addressing holiday hunger 
   Young people we spoke to told us that existing holiday programmes don’t meet their needs, especially as they grow older. They want to see a holiday food programme that’s accessible for all young people, not just those in primary school. We’re recommending a revised programme that considers the needs of teenagers when the current scheme ends in March 2025.  
    
4. Bringing food into Youth Services 
   Young people see food as a way to bring people together, whether through cooking lessons or shared meals. By ensuring food is a key part of youth services like Family Hubs and afterschool clubs, we can create spaces where young people not only enjoy nutritious food but also build vital life skills. 
    
5. Remove the reduced rate for under 25s in Universal Credit  
   Young people told us that being able to afford food was the biggest concern for them. If you are aged under 25 you receive 21% less in Universal Credit, which could make it harder to afford essentials like food. We’re calling on the Government to remove the reduced rate for under 25s. 
    
6. ​​​​Review the Healthy Start Scheme 
   Young people told us that they are not all the same and they have unique lived experiences. They told us things could be more challenging for some young people, for example if they have their own children. We’re calling on the Government to make sure that schemes to help young parents afford food keep up with rising costs.  

The importance of youth voices 

Just 10% of teenagers believe they have the power to influence the issues they care about. We know that when young people are given the opportunity to have their voices heard and be taken seriously in decisions that affect them, it leads to better outcomes and improved services. 

We believe young people’s voices should shape what we say, how we work and the decisions we make so this is a key part of our partnership with the Co-op. 

We’re committed to listening and responding to their voices and experiences in all our work and speaking out alongside them on issues they care about. 
 

*Names have been changed.