Research and analysis

Barriers and enablers to participation in youth activities: executive summary

Published 5 August 2025

Applies to England

Young people benefit from participation in activities, including groups and clubs, volunteering and social action.  But not all young people do participate and this report summarises research findings that explored some of the barriers and enablers to help explain why. It considers the effect of a range of personal characteristics (such as age, gender, socio-economic and ethnic background) on patterns of participation, and the barriers and enablers that help explain this, and practices that can increase young people’s participation and satisfaction.

The research was undertaken by SQW and UK Youth on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) between August 2024 and March 2025. A Youth Panel of six young people helped to refine the research and findings. The research was commissioned to contribute to the evidence base to inform DCMS’s future policies and programmes around youth activities, notably the National Youth Strategy. 

The research draws on four key sources of evidence:

• Analysis of the Youth Participation Survey (YPS) pilot – a large, nationally representative survey of nearly 2,000 young people aged 10 to 19. The survey was undertaken in 2023 and its findings published online.[^1] This research used survey findings and performed further regression analysis, a statistical method which enables us to test each personal characteristic in isolation (holding other characteristics constant) to understand their individual significance in explaining patterns of participation.
• A rapid review of published evidence, which covered 26 different evidence sources spanning largescale representative surveys and research based on interviews or focus groups with young people.
• Interviews with a broadly representative sample of 74 young people, most of whom had previously responded to the YPS, to further explore their experiences of youth provision.
• Interviews with 16 youth sector representatives, covering a range of organisation types and areas of expertise, which had a particular focus on practical approaches to improving young people’s participation and satisfaction.

1. How young people’s characteristics affect participation

The regression analysis of YPS responses identified different patterns of participation in youth activities based on young people’s characteristics, including age, sexuality and gender identity, deprivation, ethnicity, disability and health, being LGBTQ+ and geography. Findings include:

• Young people are less likely to participate in youth groups and clubs as they grow older, but more likely to participate in volunteering.  

• Females, young people living in more deprived areas, and those receiving free school meals are less likely to participate in groups and clubs.

• Males are less likely to participate in social action and volunteering.

Each young person may have several characteristics that, in combination, affect their likelihood of participation or their experience of barriers to participation. The analysis also produced a series of ‘risk profiles’ that consider the effect of several personal characteristics on a young person’s participation. These show a clear gap in levels of participation. Only 26% of females aged 16-19, who live in a deprived area and are in receipt of free school meals, participate in a youth group or club. This compares to around 90% of males and females aged 10-12 in the least deprived areas who are not in receipt of free school meals.

Other household characteristics not included in the YPS analysis that may influence participation include being in lone parent families, those with separated parents, single or multiple child households, young people with caring responsibilities, young people who are frequently absent from school or not in mainstream education, and young people from different religious and cultural beliefs.  All of these factors affect whether a young person participates in youth activities.

2. Awareness of local provision

Young people become aware of youth activities through a range of sources, including school, friends, family, social media, online, physical marketing and community presence. The YPS analysis found different sources are more important to young people with certain characteristics. For example, females are more likely to hear through schools, males through friends, and ethnic minorities through faith groups. 

The young people we spoke with frequently suggested a lack of awareness of youth provision was preventing them from participating in youth activities as much as they would like. Young people said they wanted more information and opportunities to learn about youth provision, particularly through schools, outreach and marketing.

3. Motivations for participating

In order to understand how to increase young people’s participation and satisfaction in youth activities it is vital to understand what motivates them to engage. Young people are motivated to participate for a range of reasons. Enjoyment is particularly important, but young people also spoke about developing skills and keeping fit.  Young people who were motivated by these factors were also more likely to participate more frequently, and in multiple activities.

Other motivations included benefitting their future prospects, spending time with their friends, having a community, feeling of belonging or safety, wanting benefits to mental and physical wellbeing, and valuing relationships with staff or support.

Young people’s priorities appear to change with age, with older groups more likely to prioritise developmental opportunities, activities that improve their future prospects and a place to relax over organised activities.

The motivations of parents/carers matter too, because parents/carers can play a key role in identifying and making young people aware of activities that might be worthwhile, and in encouraging or supporting them to try something out or keep attending. However, parents/carers’ motivations did not always align with young people’s motivations. For example,  some parents placed a greater priority on studies or other commitments.

4. Barriers and enablers to participation

We identified a number of different types of barriers to participation in youth activities, which can be categorised as:

• ‘Practical’ – which include availability, time and other commitments, cost and affordability, access and transport, physical accessibility, parental permission, and information accessibility.

• ‘Attitudinal, psychological and relational’ – which include alignment with interests and preferences, confidence and apprehension, when environments feel inclusive, welcome and accessible, and wellbeing and safety.

These barriers may reflect demand side issues (e.g. a young person and their parents being unable to afford provision due to their disposable income) or supply side issues (e.g. an expensive activity), or the availability of provision.

The most frequently cited factors that prevented participation were lack of interest, being too busy with other commitments and a preference to do other things.

5. Why young people stop participating

Participation in youth activities decreases with age. The YPS analysis found length of participation is lower for females, those on free school meals, ethnic minorities and those with a limiting disability. The reasons that young people stop participating in youth activities fall into six broad categories: issues with an activity; changes to an activity; the impact of the pandemic; life changes; transition points; and age-related factors.

6. Practices to increase youth participation and satisfaction

Interviews with sector representatives provided a wide range of insights about the good practices they adopt to help overcome barriers to participation.  They:

• Were unanimous on the importance of youth voice, agency and empowerment for increasing participation and satisfaction.

• Emphasised the importance of community presence, visibility and brand recognition for supporting awareness, particularly for harder to reach groups.

• Recognised the importance of trust, familiarity and information to improve initial engagement.

• Emphasised the need for variety and tailoring their approach to ensure their offer remains appealing and high quality, especially for older groups.

• Emphasised the importance of their provision being free or as affordable as possible.

• Talked about the importance of trust, familiarity and safety for young people to feel comfortable in a space.

However, the youth sector interviewees cautioned their ability to enact all aspects of good practice due to the structural issues they face. Most notably, limited and reducing funding, workforce challenges, and poor or misinformed perceptions of the sector, and challenges related to coordination and partnership working.

This research has produced detailed information about individual and combined characteristics that shape whether, and how, young people participate in youth activities.  Each young person’s experience is unique to them, but there are characteristics that in combination are associated with greater or lower levels of participation. Some of the barriers young people face can be addressed by individual providers changing or adapting their practices. Other challenges are more structural and require joined up working locally (e.g. between schools and youth activity providers) or nationally, to strengthen the sector’s capacity to reach young people and make youth activities relevant, attractive, safe and enjoyable for all.