National Youth Club Tour 2026
Rationale
Youth Clubs and Youth Work are well documented as offering huge value to children and young people. For some, it can be an absolute lifeline.
Adam Dance (MP) is quoted on the 3rd June 2026, in Parliament, saying;
"I have disability issues, and I tried to take my life when I was at school. My youth club saved my life. We really need more youth clubs...”.
The government has recently announced new funding for additional youth services, with 180 youth hubs promised as part of this. This has been warmly received by youth workers and communities across the UK. However, many existing youth clubs face real challenges keeping their doors open. A decade of cuts has led to many closures and reductions in services. Other pressures, including increased utility costs, have added pressure at a time when there is a cost-of-living crisis and many young people are not easily accessing food and essentials.
It feels that now is the time for some additional recognition of what youth clubs and youth workers do, along with an opportunity to explore additional resources to help meet need.
- The latest ONS figures show 981,000 young people aged 16 to 24 were NEET in April to June 20261
- Young adults who have left care have a death rate around four times higher than the general population, a new review, external shows2
- Roundhouse report - A generation with nowhere to go. 87% of young people say opportunities to connect and create are disappearing
This year’s theme for National Youth Work week in November is:
"Where Futures Begin," celebrating the people and places where young people grow, belong, and thrive.
Youth clubs provide this so well. As a young person who came through a youth club, which later led to a career in youth work, I have had the privilege of seeing young people gain so much from youth clubs and youth work. Many young people have limited opportunities to connect, belong and be heard. Youth clubs provide safe spaces where young people can build relationships, develop confidence, discover their strengths and access support when they need it.
In a world where digital technology, social media, online gaming and virtual communities are playing an increasingly significant role in the lives of young people, opportunities for genuine face-to-face connection have never been more important. Whilst online spaces can offer friendship, creativity and a sense of belonging, they cannot fully replace the value of real-world relationships and community. Youth clubs provide safe and welcoming spaces where young people can connect with others, build confidence, develop social skills, discover their strengths and experience the support of trusted adults. As the virtual world continues to grow, the need for places where young people can belong, contribute and thrive in person remains as important as ever.
To promote and celebrate this week. Youth Workers and Young People from South Petherton Youth Club will commence a National Youth Club tour, visiting 50 sites in November & during Youth Work Week. This will be funded by Reach Alternative Education, who are commissioned to deliver Youth & Community Work in South Petherton.
This tour has the purpose of sharing gratitude to youth workers and youth clubs, plus sharing hope messages from young people in each community to other communities all across the UK.
Project Aims
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To promote Youth Clubs and Youth Work and the amazing work they do across the UK
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To complete a tour across 50 youth clubs across England, Scotland & Wales
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To share gratitude to youth workers in these settings with thanks from us as a Youth Work team
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To donate food ingredients to 50 youth clubs to enable them to each cook a meal with young people
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Seek opportunities to gain free food ingredients for 1 year for each youth club
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To gain support, resources & encouragement from the public, MPs, businesses, Council leaders and celebrities. Offering easy routes to visit and directly be alongside young people
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For young people to write messages of hope to each other all over the country
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For MPs to study all the combined messages at a visit to Parliament by South Petherton young people in Spring 2027
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For a food mobile trading outlet to be launched back in Somerset, offering NEET young people part-time employment opportunities, alongside a youth worker, serving free hot food to other young people in areas of need.
Project Objectives
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South Petherton will initially seek to gain partners to support the promotion of the tour. This will hopefully include cross party support via our own MP, Adam Dance, publicity via our Local Council and through The National Youth Agency, in addition to already established partnerships.
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Food ingredients will be collected via a current sponsorship of Branston Potatoes. Toppings will be funded by South Petherton Youth Club, and young people will make up the individual packs and address them from each of them as individuals.
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Youth Workers and Young People over the age of 18yrs will set out to tour the UK using a small fleet of vans, which will transport the donations, and present positive messages of hope to each other via the exterior of the van. This will be visible for all to see. Additional banners will be on the vans promoting the tour, plus quoting MP Adam Dance’s views on his Youth Club.
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Contact will be made to recruit 50 youth clubs across the UK as hosts for the stops and donations. A network of the National Youth Agency and social media will seek to find these contacts.
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The tour will commence at the start of National Youth Work week via a launch event at South Petherton Youth Club, where the young people will start the messages of hope and load the vans full of their donations.
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It is hoped to gain traction and support through as many routes as possible. From the public sharing their experience of going to a youth club when they were young, through to seeking the involvement of MPs, the Children’s Commissioner, the Prime Minister and leaders of all parties, plus celebrities, business owners, council leaders and anyone that can open a door to support/gain access to ongoing food for a youth club in their area
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Adam Dance invite the South Petherton Young People to join him in Parliament in Spring 2027, so the messages from the Young People can be shared. There is potentially scope for the van to be in Parliament. This needs to be confirmed.