More than half of all neighbourhoods in the North East have inadequate youth provision to meet the high levels of deprivation and antisocial behaviour, according to new analysis by charity funder Social Investment Business (SIB).
The research creates the first national mapping of youth provision and youth need data, and identifies a clear North-south divide, with those in the North East and North West facing a much higher concentration of areas with high levels of disadvantage and limited access to youth services.
The findings come weeks after the government published its £500m Youth Strategy, ‘Youth Matters’, which includes significant funding to build, refurbish and equip youth centres across England.
Developing a new ‘Unmet Need Index’, the analysis finds that 54% of all neighbourhoods (MSOAs) in the North East fall into the highest deciles of unmet need, with 40% of neighbourhoods in the North West falling into the same category. This compares to just 14% of neighbourhoods in the South East and 17% in the South West.
Youthwork is delivered by a diverse range of organisations, and there is no consistent national dataset for youth provision and need, which researchers have warned makes it hard to identify the gaps where additional funding should be targeted. Today’s new mapping aims to demonstrate how a data-led approach could ensure the government’s new strategy has the biggest impact for young people across England.
Since 2022, SIB has worked with successive governments to deliver both the £300m Youth Investment Fund and the more recent £30m Better Youth Spaces fund, resulting in over 270 new or refurbished youth centres across England, which SIB estimates are now within walking distance of more than 1 in 7 young people.
The Lighthouse Project in Byker is one of those 270 new or improved youth facilities. Until its launch in June 2025, there were no purpose-built facilities for young people in the local area. Following a £4.4m grant through the Youth Investment Fund, a new state of the art venue was opened, which now provides a flexible, multi-purpose, youth and community space and has seen the number of young people attending more than double.
The full dataset and interactive maps are being published openly to support policymakers, funders and local authorities to make more targeted, place-based decisions as the Youth Strategy is implemented.
Ben Roman, Chief Executive of the Lighthouse Project in Byker, said: “When I grew up there was a youth club in every neighbourhood, it was where you went to make friends, get support and importantly have fun, but sadly for so many young people today nothing like that exists.
“We believe in delivering hyper-local youth work and meeting young people in their own neighbourhoods, I believe we’re a perfect example of why investing in local youth and community services really matters.
“Young people deserve state of the art facilities based in their communities with youth workers who champion and believe in them, they need quality resources and spaces where everyone feels welcome, safe and inspired to be the best they can be.
“Since our new space opened last summer, we’ve grown a huge membership, engaged a community and most importantly are seeing our young people turning up every week and wanting to be here, but we know there’s so much more to do.
“One of our youth work team recently asked this question of our junior group: “The government says they want young people to play a leading role in deciding how they spend their youth budget. What would you say are the top three things they should do?” and the three standouts were:
- Get rid of gangs to make us feel safer, we need places like this where we are happy.
- We need people like you to speak to about Mental Health and things we worry about.
- Our areas need to feel safer, more street lights, more places like The Lighthouse Project & better stuff in parks as they’re really bad.
“If more funding is targeted for areas like Byker that don’t have enough or any youth provision, then we have a vision to launch at least four more of these vital spaces in the hearts of communities in need.
“That funding has to upgrade existing youth spaces, build new ones, but critically support the core costs of running these facilities long term, we are committed to hyper local support and believe there should be a youth club in every neighbourhood.”
Nick Temple OBE, Chief Executive at Social Investment Business, said: “The challenge isn’t just providing more investment for youth services, but ensuring we’re led by the data to reach the communities that most need extra provision. Through our delivery of the government’s Youth Investment Fund, we’ve seen how targeted funding can transform access to safe, high-quality spaces for young people.
“This research shows there are still large gaps in provision – but gaps that can be closed through successful targeting and delivery of the funding announced through the new National Youth Strategy.”
Bethia McNeil, Director of Quality and Impact at the YMCA, a leading national youth charity, said: “This research from Social Investment Business is very welcome, as we wait for more detail on how the investment set out in the new youth strategy will benefit young people and communities.
“YMCA England & Wales’ research has charted the 73% decline in funding for youth services over the last 15 years, and this new analysis significantly advances our understanding of where services are reaching the young people who need them the most – and more importantly, where they are not.
“This data-driven insight is vital, and should sharpen Government’s plans for targeted investment to eradicate these cold spots through creating new, welcoming spaces for young people, offering high quality opportunities and activities. Critically, this targeted investment in facilities needs to be matched with the funding to sustainably staff these spaces with skilled youth workers.”