4th June 2026
The Government is backing The King’s Trust’s new youth opportunity initiative with £10 million of funding, launched (3 June 2026).
The nationwide initiative will fully launch in 2027, providing young people with access to more trusted adults, training, skills and work experience opportunities.
Scheme directly supports the government’s National Youth Strategy’s Youth Matters.
Young people across England are set to benefit from a major expansion of mentoring and support services as the Government announces a £10 million investment towards The King’s Trust’s new youth opportunity initiative, backed by King’s Trust Goodwill Ambassador Sir Gareth Southgate.
This investment will be matched by corporate and philanthropic partners, creating a £20 million programme over the next four years to expand trusted adult support across England.
The funding, which forms part of the Government’s £500 million National Youth Strategy ‘Youth Matters’ to improve opportunities and outcomes for young people, was announced today.
It forms part of the Government’s National Youth Strategy and wider commitment to support an additional 500,000 young people to have access to a trusted adult outside their home by 2035. Evidence suggests that as many as 1-in-5 young people do not have a trusted adult outside of home to talk to.
Delivered in partnership with The King’s Trust, subject to a business case the programme will help young people build the confidence, skills and experience they need to thrive. Providing mentoring, coaching and careers advice, it will connect young people with trusted adults who can provide guidance and support during key transitions in their lives. By providing support early, the programme will help tackle the growing number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET), while strengthening the networks and relationships that help young people succeed.
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy, said, "Through this partnership with the King’s Trust and Gareth Southgate we will make sure every young person has someone they can turn to who is firmly in their corner.
The initiative will include:
Place based pilots offering access to a trusted adult, scaling up to a nationwide
network of mentors and coaches for young people
Access to courses and resources to build confidence and skills for life and work
Clear routes into employment, including work experience opportunities
Jonathan Townsend, UK Chief Executive of The King’s Trust, said, "We see every day the talent and potential young people across the UK have, but we also see the barriers that stand in their way.
Too many are being held back simply because they don’t have access to the opportunities, networks or support they need. We know what works. Building confidence, developing practical skills and ensuring young people have someone who believes in them.
This partnership and today’s event make significant strides towards delivering on our mission of ending youth unemployment and now depends on how many join us in building a wider network of support for young people. By working together, we can open doors for many more young people, but we need others to join us in creating those opportunities.
The National Youth Strategy was launched in December 2025, following engagement with more than 14,000 young people and is designed to ensure every young person has access to opportunities, support and positive relationships.
The announcement is part of the Government’s wider investment in youth services, including £350 million to build and refurbish up to 250 youth facilities and more than £60 million through the Richer Young Lives Fund to expand opportunities for young people in underserved communities.
The first eight Young Futures Hubs are already open in Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, County Durham, Nottingham, Bristol, Tower Hamlets and Brighton & Hove, with 50 hubs expected to open across England by March 2029.
The announcement also coincides with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport becoming the first central Government department to sign the Power of Youth Charter, reinforcing its commitment to ensuring young people have a meaningful voice in shaping the decisions that affect them.
Developed by the #iWill movement and already backed by more than 400 organisations, including NHS England and the Premier League, the Charter commits signatories to creating meaningful opportunities for young people to influence decisions and drive positive change.
As part of its commitments, DCMS will:
Provide shadowing opportunities for young people within DCMS policy teams to demystify the civil service and its processes.
Give young people opportunities to hold the Government to account on the National Youth Strategy: Youth Matters through an Annual Hearing
Involve young people in grant-making or recruitment panels that relate to Youth Matters
Invite young people to speak at DCMS events so they can share their experiences directly with Ministers, staff and other partners
The signing took place on Power of Youth Day, held annually during Volunteers’ Week, which this year is themed Common Ground.
The National Youth Strategy was published in December 2025 and was the first cross-government youth strategy for England in 15 years.
Power of Youth Day is held annually during Volunteers’ Week (1–7 June).
The #iWill movement is a cross-sector movement working to make social action a part of life for as many young people as possible.
Young Futures Hubs are currently open in Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, County Durham, Nottingham, Bristol, Tower Hamlets and Brighton & Hove.
Scotland
Scotland is not matching the new UK Government/King’s Trust package with a single flagship scheme. Instead, the Scottish Government is pursuing a patchwork of youth‑support policies focused on child poverty, youth work, care‑experienced young people, and rights‑based approaches — but no equivalent £20m mentoring network or “trusted adult” national programme exists in Scotland at present.
What Scotland Is Doing for Young People (Based on Current Evidence)
Child Poverty & Whole‑Family Support (Core Scottish Government Priority)
The Scottish Government’s Bringing Hope, Brighter Futures action plan and wider anti‑poverty strategy place young people at the centre of a whole‑family, rights‑based approach.
This includes commitments tied to The Promise — ensuring children grow up “loved, safe and respected” and reshaping services around family support.
This is not a youth‑employment scheme, but it is the main national framework Scotland is using to support young people.
Youth Work Funding via Youth Scotland
Youth Scotland continues to deliver youth work programmes, training, safe‑spaces funding, and early‑intervention support for young people at risk.
116,979 young people impacted
2,430 youth groups supported
12,348 youth workers trained
This is the closest Scotland has to a broad youth‑sector infrastructure, but it is not a new government initiative.
Young Scot – National Youth Information & Participation Platform
Young Scot remains a major government‑supported service providing:
Youth information
Participation programmes
Discounts and entitlements
Campaigns on poverty, rights, and wellbeing
Recent work includes contributions to the Scottish Government’s child‑poverty action plan.
Again, this is ongoing, not a new package.
Education & Rights Measures (Programme for Government)
The Scottish Government’s Programme for Government includes:
UNCRC incorporation (children’s rights)
Work on education reform
Expansion of free school meals (linked to child poverty)
Circular economy and climate‑related youth policies
These are policy reforms, not targeted youth‑employment or mentoring schemes.
Youth Philanthropy Initiative (YPI)
A major independent programme embedded in Scottish schools:
390,000 young people engaged
£8.5m directed to local charities
Delivered in ~280 schools
This builds skills and confidence but is not a government‑run youth support package.
What Scotland Is Not Doing (Compared to the UK/King’s Trust Package)
The UK Government’s new initiative includes:
£10m government funding
Matched to £20m total
A national mentoring network
Trusted adult access
Work‑experience pathways
Scotland has no equivalent national mentoring network or new multi‑million‑pound youth‑employment package.
Support is instead spread across anti‑poverty work, youth work organisations, and rights‑based reforms.
Summary for a Highlands/Caithness Context
For young people in Caithness and the Highlands, the Scottish Government’s approach means:
More focus on poverty reduction and family support
Youth work delivered through local groups, not a national mentoring scheme
No new employment‑focused package comparable to the King’s Trust initiative
Reliance on existing structures (Young Scot, Youth Scotland, YPI, local authority youth services)