Youth United Foundation June Newsletter 2026

It was a very busy start of the summer - from the first week of June being Volunteers' Week, to our Director attending the Youth Summit at Buckingham Palace and chairing Historic England's inaugural Speaker Series event, focused on youth.
 

The Youth Summit at 

Buckingham Palace

YUF's Director Anna Maddox was honoured to attend a special event hosted by His Majesty The King at Buckingham Palace in support of The King’s Trust. The event brought together leaders from industry, government, the voluntary sector, sport and the arts to explore solutions that create opportunities for young people. Accompanied by two young leaders from the Marine Society & Sea Cadets and The Boys’ Brigade, Anna witnessed first-hand the impact that uniformed youth organisations have on developing confidence, skills and a sense of belonging. A particular highlight was hearing His Majesty reaffirm his belief in the transformative power of youth groups. The event’s speed mentoring sessions provided valuable opportunities for young people to share their experiences, contribute their perspectives and connect with inspiring role models.

Celebrating Volunteers’ Week: Rhian on the Power of Volunteering

Part of Volunteers’ Week, Youth United Foundation Trustee Rhian Moore reflected on the important role volunteering has played throughout her life. Drawing on her experience as a Scout volunteer and leader, Rhian shares why supporting volunteers matters, the impact they have on young people and communities, and why she encourages anyone considering volunteering to take that first step.

Historic England 

Youth Speakers Panel

Youth United Foundation Director Anna Maddox recently chaired the inaugural Historic England Speaker Series event. It brought together voices from across the youth, heritage and skills sectors to discuss how young people can be supported to thrive and shape the decisions that affect their lives.

The event highlighted the role heritage can play in fostering belonging, confidence and pride in place, while also creating opportunities for young people to develop skills and influence their communities. Speakers included representatives from UK Youth, The Careers & Enterprise Company, Beatfreeks and the Heritage of London Trust.

'We know that engaging young people in heritage supports what many of us are trying to achieve. Young people gain a sense of belonging, improved wellbeing and develop tangible employment skills, while heritage organisations gain a new generation to preserve and respect our shared history. Ultimately, society finds new ways to come together.

It was an absolute privilege to share space with this amazing panel of humans. Their deep insight and practical experience made my life incredibly easy. My biggest takeaway? As leaders, we must get comfortable living with uncertainty and paradox, focusing our energy on creating "climbing frames" for young people to progress. In short, we need to think differently." - Anna Maddox.

Celebrating Volunteers’ Week: Flora’s Volunteering Story

Flora, Project Manager at Youth United Foundation, shares her perspective on volunteering and how her own journey back into a local uniformed youth group has been shaped by her work at YUF. She highlights the extraordinary impact volunteers have on young people every week. Flora also reflects on YUF’s commitment to supporting volunteering, through more flexible and inclusive approaches like volunteering leave.

This Volunteers’ Week Reflection

Volunteers’ Week is a chance to celebrate and thank the incredible volunteers who make uniformed youth groups possible across the UK. Every week, they give their time, skills and energy to create opportunities for young people to build confidence, learn new skills, make friends and feel part of their communities, with research showing clear benefits for wellbeing, social development and belonging. We are hugely grateful for this commitment, and we also want to encourage anyone who has ever considered volunteering to take that first step. There are many ways to get involved across Youth United Foundation’s network of 12 uniformed youth organisations, and every contribution helps more young people thrive.