Youth United Foundation End of Year

Newsletter 2025

A world from our Director, Anna Maddox

As we wrap up an incredible year of collaboration, growth, and impact, I want to take a moment to thank each of you, our network members, partners, and supporters, for being part of this journey. Your commitment to driving positive change for young people has made 2025 a year to remember.

This festive season is not just about celebration; it's about reflection and renewal. While we look forward with hope, we also stand in solidarity with our Jewish community members and all those affected by recent events. Our thoughts are with you, and we remain committed to fostering unity, compassion, and understanding across our network.

Looking back, 2025 was a year of milestones for the sector and for Youth United Foundation.

There is strengthened evidence for the sector with the launch of the evaluation into the DCMS-funded groups
Launch of the National Youth Strategy, setting a bold vision for youth engagement across the UK for the first time in over 20 years
Secured funding to continue the Heritage Youth Partnership, preserving culture and empowering young voices
Revitalised our communications, with exciting new developments coming in 2026

Looking ahead to 2026, we're excited to:

Deliver on our Youth United Foundation Strategy, driving innovation and collaboration across the network so that all young people can benefit from access to uniformed youth provision.
Work with the government to support the implementation of the National Youth Strategy, turning vision into action and helping to hold the government accountable for its delivery
Continue to grow the Heritage Youth Partnership, deepening its reach and impact

From all of us at Youth United, we wish you a peaceful holiday period and a bright, inspiring start to 2026. Let's continue building a future where every young person can thrive.

DCMS Uniformed Youth Fund - Year in Review

Since this phase of the Uniformed Youth Fund launched in April, it’s been a busy and hugely positive year of growth, collaboration, and shared learning across the sector.

A Supportive Community: Our regular monthly meetings have provided a consistent space for grant-holders to share updates, resolve challenges, and keep delivery moving forward with confidence.
Seven Valuable Learning Sessions: We delivered 7 learning sessions this year, each led by a partner organisation sharing best practice and real-world experience. These sessions have helped spark new ideas and strengthen delivery across the network.
More Learning to Come: We’re currently developing a Sustainability Learning Session to support long-term planning, and with 6–7 additional sessions already in the pipeline, we’re well set for a strong year ahead.
Building Connections: Over the year, we’ve seen organisations form stronger links, learn from one another, and build the momentum needed to provide high-quality opportunities for young people.

As we move into the next phase, we’re excited to continue supporting groups, amplifying great practice, and ensuring young people everywhere can benefit from high-quality, uniformed youth opportunities.

Heritage Youth Partnership Update

2025 has been another exciting year for the Heritage Youth Partnership. After our celebration event in London in February, we launched the next 2-year phase of the project.

The last 10 months have been positively brimming with activity, including:

8 microgrants awarded to youth-led heritage social action projects across the country. Applications continue to be submitted, and there are some microgrants still available.
10 fantastic Youth Voice Ambassadors recruited to influence the project and get involved in specific workstreams and opportunities.
5 new stakeholders welcomed to our brilliant network of organisations - all passionate about involving more young people in heritage.
3 successful online meetings of national HYP stakeholders, sharing updates and opportunities for collaboration.
2 subgroups established to pursue collaborative solutions to identified areas of need:
- Supporting heritage sites to engage with uniformed groups for the first time and co-developing a framework for designing site-specific badges/challenge packs;
- Working together to make it easier for young people to achieve the Duke of Edinburgh's Award through heritage.
1 redesign of the Heritage Youth Partnership online hub

National Youth Strategy

We welcome the National Youth Strategy, launched last week. It has put young people at the front and centre of the changes needed: safe spaces, trusted adults and opportunities to do things. Uniformed youth groups and the volunteers that run them provide just that in local communities. Youth United Foundation look forward to working with the government to ensure that these amazing ambitions for our young people are put into action.

Munachiso, who represented Youth United Foundation on the Youth Advisory Group, said:

Advocating for young people is a real passion of mine. Reading the group’s aims, I immediately saw its potential, not only to influence the National Youth Strategy, but to show why young people should be genuinely involved in decision-making. That was something I absolutely wanted to be part of.

YUF’s Year

2025 has been an extraordinary year for the Youth United Foundation, building on our DCMS-funded programmes and HYP projects while creating significant national moments for young people. We proudly supported cadets and uniformed youth during key commemorations like VE Day, VJ Day, and Remembrance Sunday, showcasing the respect and service that define our movement.

This year, we strengthened our national presence; in July, our Director, Anna Maddox, attended a roundtable at St James’s Palace with King Charles III and Idris Elba to discuss solutions for youth violence. In December, she joined Their Majesties at Windsor Castle for The Big Help Out launch, honouring dedicated volunteers. And last week, Anna attended a meeting with the King Charles III Charitable Foundation, which is planning exciting initiatives for the new year. Stay tuned!

We also deepened collaboration within the sector. In September, trustees and leaders from our uniformed youth network met at the House of Lords to focus on shared priorities like volunteer recruitment and widening access for young people. The energy in the room reflected a committed spirit of partnership, aiming to create brighter futures for the young people we serve.