Young people –all young people -deserve a productive, fulfilling future. Society needs the spark and energy of young people to make it tick. Yet somehow thousands of young people feel blocked by the complex, sometimes disheartening challenges the modern world throws at them.

There’s a waste of human potential going on that urgently needs to be reversed.

Youth work – the science of enabling young people to believe in themselves and to prepare for life – has never been more important.

NYA is the national body for this vital, but under-recognised discipline. Our vision is rooted in our steadfast belief in young people and their ability to shape the world.  By championing, professionalising and enabling youth work, we strive to find better, more inventive ways to empower more young people.

Our starting point is our steadfast belief in young people and their potential to shape the world, no matter what society puts in their way. Our plan then has three key elements…

Championing youth work in all its many forms – incubating new approaches, celebrating its many thousands of practitioners. 

Professionalising youth work – training youth workers, setting occupational standards.

Enabling youth work – making it happen through our networks of front line youth work providers.

Read more about Our Purpose.